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Body features of Herbivores

Herbivores have flat and broad front teeth. These teeth help them to bite

off leaves and grass. They also have strong, flat and broad grinding teeth to

chew the food.

Animals such as cows and buffaloes swallow the
grass and leaves without chewing them fully.

They bring back the swallowed food from the

stomach into their mouth after sometime and

chew it properly with their grinding teeth. This is Cow chewing the cud

called chewing the cud or rumination.

Some herbivores have special body features
which help them feed on plants. For example, an

elephant has a long trunk that helps it to break

branches and put leaves in its mouth.

Elephant eating plants

A giraffe has a long neck which helps it reach the higher

branches of the trees and eat their leaves.

Giraffe eating branches

Food habits of other Herbivores

Many birds and insects eat just plants. Parrots

eat nuts and seeds. Bees and butterflies feed

on the nectar present in flowers.

Butterflies use straw-like sucking tubes

called proboscis attached to their mouths to

suck nectar from flowers. Butterfly sucking nectar
from a flower

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