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In zoology, a 'granivore' is an herbivorous animal which selectively eats the nutrient-rich seeds produced by plants, including those of gymnosperms. Most true granivores are insects or birds or mammals. The former group includes many different kinds of true bugs, ants, and beetles, but also a few types of moths and even some parasitic wasps. The latter group includes many different finches and numerous other related groups such as the Hawaiian honeycreepers. Granivory is especially prevalent in desert habitats, as seeds are persistent.

Contents

Insects

Birds

References

Insects

Harvester ants, weevils (Curculionidae), bruchid beetles (Bruchidae), moths, wasps and others feed on seeds.
Yucca moths and fig wasps feed on seeds and pollinate the plant in tightly co-evolved relationships.

Birds

Many of the typical backyard feeder birds eat a lot of seeds, but are not strict granivores; they eat a lot of insects too. Species that feed primarily on seeds as adults will often rear their young on insects instead. More strict granivores such as Goldfinches feed their young regurgitated seeds.
Acorn woodpeckers form large granaries, but take a lot of insects too. Clark's nutcracker and the Pinyon Jay, similarly require pine seeds but supplement them with other items. Crossbills are also highly reliant on conifer seeds.

References

★ Elphick, C, JB Dunning, Jr. and DA Sibley.(eds.) 2001. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

★ Brown, J. H., Reichman, O. J. and Davidson, D. W. 1979. Granivory in desert ecosystems. – Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 10: 201–227.

★ MacMahon, J. A., Mull, J. F. and Crist, T. O. 2000. Harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex spp.): their community and ecosystem influences. – Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 31: 265–291.