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Mammal Herbivores
Some herbivores have a digestive system that is designed specifically to get the most nutrients and vitamins out of the plants they eat. White-tailed deer and moose are two examples. These animals have four-chambered stomachs. After swallowing their food these animals then regurgitate it and chew it again to help further break down the cellulose in the plant. White-tailed deer are commonly found in North America and feed primarily on green plants, acorns, buds, twigs and woody plants. Moose are the largest members of the deer family, and their name means "twig eater" in Algonquin, according to the New Hampshire Public Television website. These animals feed mostly on leaves, twigs, buds and water plants like lilies.
Insect Herbivores
Grasshoppers are one type of herbivore insect. Grasshoppers are brown or green-colored bugs with large hind legs and two pairs of wings. These insects are found throughout the United States, and they feed on plant material such as grass and flowers. Grasshoppers' waste, called frass, contributes to the ecosystem by fertilizing the soil. Leafcutter ants are another type of herbivore insect and are found in tropical rain forests in South America. Leafcutter ants don't eat the leaves they gather but instead bring them back to their nest where they compost them and grow a fungus that they feed on. According to the Bristol Zoo Gardens website, leafcutter ants are responsible for consuming almost 20 percent of the annual vegetation growth in the rain forest.
Fish Herbivores
Most fish eat a combination of other small fish, plants and water insects. Some fish, such as the high-backed headstander and the silver dollar fish, eat only plant matter. The high-backed headstander is native to South America, particularly the Amazon, Paraguay and Orinoco rivers. This fish averages about 5 inches long and has black and silver bands along its body and high back. The hard-bellied silver dollar fish is also found in the Amazon River. This fish averages about 9 inches long and has a silver body with red edging on its fins. These fish eat plant matter that grows naturally in the river.
Bird Herbivores
Parrots and cockatoos are two examples of herbivore birds. Parrots are brightly colored tropical birds native to North and South America as well as Africa, Asia and Australia. These birds feed primarily on nuts, seeds and fruit. They have strong beaks that they use to break open the shells of tough nuts. Cockatoos are birds native to Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines, where they feed mostly on seeds, nuts, berries and roots. Birds are important to the ecosystem because they eat the seeds of plants and spread the seeds around when they release them in their waste. Birds also help pollinate trees and plants, and they serve as a food source for carnivores.