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Saturday, 18 July 2026

Global Animal Guide

Insectivores

118 species whose profiles list a insectivore diet — ranked by popularity, each with an answer-first guide.

Quick answer

Insectivores specialise on insects and other arthropods. Many have fine teeth, sticky tongues, or probing bills suited to catching small, fast prey. They include anteaters, aardvarks, many bats, shrews, and countless birds — and they help control insect populations in every biome.

How we group by diet

Facets are built from structured Diet facts on each species page — not from a separate taxonomy dump. Open any card for habitat, range, and IUCN status in one place. Also browse by habitat or biome hubs.

Free-range chicken foraging in farmyard

Bird

Chicken

The world's most common bird

Aye-aye with large eyes and elongated finger

Mammal

Aye-aye

Madagascar's nocturnal oddity

Japanese macaque snow monkey soaking in a steaming hot spring pool in winter

Mammal

Japanese Macaque

The hot-spring snow monkey of Japan

Brown bear standing in a mountain meadow with forest behind

Mammal

Brown Bear

The widespread bear of the Northern Hemisphere

Tasmanian devil with wide open jaws showing powerful teeth

Mammal

Tasmanian Devil

Australia's feisty marsupial scavenger

Philippine tarsier with huge eyes on a branch

Near Threatened

Mammal

Philippine Tarsier

The wide-eyed nocturnal primate

American black bear foraging in a deciduous forest

Mammal

American Black Bear

North America's adaptable forest bear

Rainbow trout with pink stripe in clear mountain stream

Fish

Rainbow Trout

The colourful fly-fisher's favourite

Male mandrill with colourful face ridges

Mammal

Mandrill

The world's most colourful primate

Gibbon swinging through rainforest canopy

Mammal

White-handed Gibbon

The singing ape of the canopy

Male betta with flowing red and blue fins hovering near a bubble nest at the water surface

Fish

Betta

Labyrinth fish famous for vivid fins

Common squirrel monkey with white face and black muzzle perched on a rainforest branch

Mammal

Common Squirrel Monkey

The tiny big-brained monkey of the Amazon

Giant anteater with bushy tail walking on knuckles in grassland

Mammal

Giant Anteater

South America's two-metre tongue specialist

Wild boar with bristly coat and tusks in European woodland

Mammal

Wild Boar

The ancestor of the domestic pig

Channel catfish with barbels near river bottom

Fish

Channel Catfish

North America's whiskered bottom feeder

Banded mongoose troop foraging

Mammal

Banded Mongoose

The cobra's agile rival

Pink axolotl with feathery external gills underwater

Critically Endangered

Amphibian

Axolotl

The salamander that never grows up and can regrow body parts

Fennec fox in desert sand, a tiny pale fox with very large ears and dark alert eyes

Mammal

Fennec Fox

The tiny desert fox with enormous ears

Sun bear with golden chest patch climbing in tropical forest

Mammal

Sun Bear

The smallest bear of Southeast Asia's rainforests

Sulphur-crested cockatoo with raised yellow crest in eucalyptus

Bird

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Australia's loud crested parrot

Rooster with red comb crowing at sunrise in a farmyard

Bird

Rooster

The crowing guardian of the barnyard flock

Sugar glider mid-glide with patagium stretched and large dark eyes facing forward

Mammal

Sugar Glider

Nocturnal gliding marsupial of eucalypt forests

Olive baboon troop on savanna

Mammal

Olive Baboon

Africa's adaptable monkey

Secretary bird with crest quills and orange facial skin striding through dry grassland

Bird

Secretary Bird

Long-legged raptor that stamps snakes

Capuchin monkey in tropical forest

Mammal

Capuchin Monkey

The clever New World monkey

Rhinoceros hornbill with orange casque perched in rainforest canopy

Bird

Rhinoceros Hornbill

The thunderbird of Borneo's rainforest

Female black widow hanging upside-down in a cobweb showing red hourglass on abdomen

Invertebrate

Black Widow

Venomous cobweb spider with a red hourglass

Emu standing in Australian outback

Bird

Emu

Australia's flightless giant

Spectacled bear with pale facial markings in Andean cloud forest

Mammal

Spectacled Bear

The only bear native to South America

Male ring-necked pheasant with long tail in autumn field

Bird

Common Pheasant

The ring-necked game bird of field and forest

Colorful chameleon gripping a thin branch with curled tail

Reptile

Chameleon

The color-changing lizard with 360-degree eyes

Platypus swimming at the surface of an Australian freshwater stream, showing its duck-like bill and dark waterproof fur

Near Threatened

Mammal

Platypus

The egg-laying, duck-billed mammal of Australia

Sandhill crane pair dancing with wings spread

Bird

Sandhill Crane

North America's dancing crane

Nine-banded armadillo with armoured bands foraging on grass

Mammal

Nine-Banded Armadillo

North America's armoured digger

Serval with large ears in golden savanna grass

Mammal

Serval

Africa's long-legged pounce specialist

Largemouth bass with open mouth near lily pads

Fish

Largemouth Bass

America's favourite freshwater game fish

Common kestrel hovering with fanned tail and pointed wings against a pale sky

Bird

Common Kestrel

Hovering falcon of fields and roadsides

Male wild turkey displaying fanned tail

Bird

Wild Turkey

North America's ground bird

Eastern box turtle with domed shell

Reptile

Eastern Box Turtle

North America's hinged turtle

Golden jackal standing alert in dry savanna grass

Mammal

Golden Jackal

The adaptable wild dog of three continents

Olive-brown tuatara with spiny dorsal crest resting on coastal scrub leaf litter

Reptile

Tuatara

Living-fossil reptile unique to New Zealand

Greater bilby with long pinkish ears and pointed snout emerging from red desert sand

Mammal

Greater Bilby

Long-eared desert bandicoot

Meerkat standing upright on sandy ground in the Kalahari at golden hour

Mammal

Meerkat

The cooperative sentinel of the Kalahari

Ring-tailed lemur sitting on a branch in a Madagascar forest, showing its grey body and black-and-white striped tail

Mammal

Ring-Tailed Lemur

Madagascar's striped-tailed, sun-bathing primate

White stork standing on nest atop building

Bird

White Stork

Europe's chimney-nesting messenger

Painted turtle basking on log in pond

Reptile

Painted Turtle

The pond slider of North America

Male superb lyrebird with lyre-shaped tail plumes fanned over a display mound in rainforest

Bird

Superb Lyrebird

Master mimic of Australian forests

Male veiled chameleon with high casque and banded flanks gripping a thorny desert shrub

Reptile

Veiled Chameleon

Tall-casqued chameleon of the Arabian Peninsula

Great spotted woodpecker on tree trunk

Bird

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Europe's drumming carpenter

Brown recluse spider showing violin marking on cephalothorax

Invertebrate

Brown Recluse Spider

The violin-marked spider of the American South

Blue tit with cobalt cap and yellow breast hanging upside-down on a peanut feeder

Bird

Blue Tit

Acrobatic garden tit of Europe

Barn swallow in flight showing deeply forked tail streamers and rufous throat

Bird

Barn Swallow

Fork-tailed aerial insectivore of farms

Great tit with black head, white cheeks, and yellow belly striped with a black ventral line

Bird

Great Tit

Bold black-capped tit of Eurasian gardens

Northern flying squirrel gliding between conifer trees at dusk

Mammal

Northern Flying Squirrel

North America's gliding rodent

European robin with a bright orange-red breast perched on a frosty twig in winter

Bird

European Robin

Britain's beloved red-breasted garden bird

Nightingale perched in dense scrub with plain brown plumage and large dark eye

Bird

Nightingale

Famed nocturnal songster of European spring

Army ant swarm of Eciton workers cascading over leaf litter in a rainforest raid

Insect

Army Ant

Nomadic swarm-raiding ants of the Neotropics

Aardwolf with vertical stripes and mane erect standing on short-grass savanna at dusk

Mammal

Aardwolf

Termite-eating hyena relative of African plains

European hedgehog walking through autumn leaves and grass at dusk

Near Threatened

Mammal

Hedgehog

The spiny night-time garden visitor

Brown kiwi foraging at night on the New Zealand forest floor, showing its long bill and rounded body

Bird

Kiwi

New Zealand's flightless nocturnal bird with nostrils at the tip of its bill

American crow with glossy black feathers perched on a bare branch

Bird

Crow

The glossy black genius of the bird world

Common shrew on forest floor

Mammal

Common Shrew

The tiny insectivore with a fierce appetite

Green anole male with extended pink dewlap clinging to a garden fence post

Reptile

Green Anole

Colour-changing lizard of southern US gardens

Bat-eared fox with oversized ears cocked forward on short arid grassland

Mammal

Bat-eared Fox

Huge-eared fox that listens for insects

Bright blue and black poison dart frog sitting on a wet green leaf

Amphibian

Poison Dart Frog

Tiny, brilliantly colored, and among the most toxic animals alive

Eurasian magpie with black-and-white plumage and iridescent wings perched on a fence

Bird

Magpie

The bold, brilliant problem-solver of the crow family

Bat with outstretched skin-membrane wings flying against a dark night sky

Mammal

Bat

The only mammals capable of true flight

Ruby-throated hummingbird hovering beside a red flower with wings blurred in motion

Bird

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

A tiny hovering bird with a blazing throat

Male common blackbird with glossy black plumage and orange-yellow beak on a mossy branch

Bird

Blackbird

The glossy garden thrush with a golden song

Orchid mantis perched on a stem showing its pale pink petal-shaped lobed legs and white body

Insect

Orchid Mantis

The Southeast Asian insect that mimics a flower to lure and ambush prey

Common swift with scythe-shaped wings screaming over red roof tiles at dusk

Bird

Common Swift

Screaming aerialist of summer rooftops

Nine-banded armadillo rooting in leaf litter showing segmented armour plates and long snout

Mammal

Nine-banded Armadillo

Armoured digger marching through the Americas

Male panther chameleon gripping branch with turquoise and red bands and independently swivelled eyes

Reptile

Panther Chameleon

Locale-coloured chameleon of Madagascar

Golden mantella frog on moss with vivid orange skin and black eyes

Critically Endangered

Amphibian

Golden Mantella

Critically Endangered orange gem of Madagascar

Spring peeper clinging to wetland reed with X-shaped cross on back and inflated vocal sac

Amphibian

Spring Peeper

Thumb-sized herald of eastern spring

Pacific tree frog on coastal fern with dark eye stripe and green or brown skin

Amphibian

Pacific Tree Frog

West Coast chorus frog behind the movie ribbit

Yellow and black common wasp resting on a wooden surface

Insect

Wasp

The yellow-and-black predator and scavenger of summer

Glossy black widow spider hanging in its web showing the red hourglass marking

Invertebrate

Black Widow Spider

The glossy black spider with the red hourglass

Eastern chipmunk with striped back and full cheek pouches perched on a mossy log

Mammal

Chipmunk

The striped, cheek-stuffing squirrel of North America

Large green American bullfrog sitting at the edge of a pond among reeds

Amphibian

American Bullfrog

North America's largest and loudest frog

Large Asian giant hornet with orange head and striped body on a wooden surface

Insect

Asian Giant Hornet

The world's largest hornet

Close-up of a fuzzy jumping spider with large round front eyes on a leaf

Invertebrate

Jumping Spider

The big-eyed spider that pounces on its prey

Frilled lizard standing with its large neck frill flared open and mouth gaping

Reptile

Frilled Lizard

The lizard that flares a dramatic neck frill

Striped skunk with bold white stripes on black fur and bushy tail walking through grass

Mammal

Skunk

The black-and-white mammal with a chemical defence

Brown warty common toad with copper eyes sitting on damp soil among leaves

Amphibian

Common Toad

The warty garden toad of Europe

Green praying mantis perched on a stem with front legs raised

Insect

Praying Mantis

The patient ambush predator with folded arms

Reddish-brown centipede with long antennae and many legs on damp leaf litter

Invertebrate

Centipede

The fast, venomous predator with many legs

Leopard gecko with yellow skin and dark spots standing on sandy desert ground

Reptile

Leopard Gecko

The spotted desert gecko and beginner-friendly pet

Round green and brown Pacman frog with a very wide mouth sitting in damp moss

Near Threatened

Amphibian

Pacman Frog

The round, big-mouthed horned frog

Virginia opossum with pale grey fur, pink nose, and hairless tail on a tree branch at night

Mammal

Opossum

North America's only marsupial

Red-eyed tree frog with vivid red eyes and orange feet clinging to a green leaf

Amphibian

Red-Eyed Tree Frog

The bright-eyed icon of the rainforest canopy

Mottled gray tree frog with large toe pads clinging to a tree branch

Amphibian

Gray Tree Frog

The color-changing tree frog of eastern forests

Common kingfisher with bright blue back and orange chest perched over a river

Bird

Common Kingfisher

A jewel-colored diver of rivers and streams

Northern mockingbird perched on a branch with beak open, grey with white wing patches

Bird

Northern Mockingbird

The bird that learns 200+ songs and sings through the night

Blue dragonfly with outstretched transparent wings resting on a reed

Insect

Dragonfly

The agile aerial hunter of ponds and streams

Smooth olive-gray African clawed frog floating in water with limbs splayed out

Amphibian

African Clawed Frog

The fully aquatic lab and pet frog

Small green and black fire-bellied toad showing its bright red and black underside

Amphibian

Oriental Fire-bellied Toad

The green toad with a warning-red belly

Plump bright red-orange tomato frog sitting on damp forest leaf litter

Amphibian

Tomato Frog

The plump, bright-red frog of Madagascar

Large glossy black emperor scorpion with raised tail and big pincers

Invertebrate

Emperor Scorpion

The large, glowing arachnid with a stinging tail

Black spotted salamander with two rows of bright yellow spots on the forest floor

Amphibian

Spotted Salamander

The yellow-spotted salamander of eastern forests

Male mallard duck with iridescent green head and yellow bill floating on calm water

Bird

Mallard

The familiar wild duck found around the world

European mole with velvety black fur and large pink digging claws emerging from a molehill

Mammal

Mole

The tunnelling insectivore behind every molehill

Blue jay with vivid blue crest and black necklace markings perched on an oak branch

Bird

Blue Jay

The bold, noisy blue songbird of North America

Large brown warty cane toad sitting on damp soil at night

Amphibian

Cane Toad

A large, toxic toad turned invasive pest

Smooth limbless caecilian resembling a large earthworm crawling across damp soil

Amphibian

Caecilian

The limbless, burrowing amphibians

Brilliant red male northern cardinal with black face mask perched on a snowy branch

Bird

Northern Cardinal

The bright red songbird of North American gardens

American robin with orange-red breast standing on green grass

Bird

American Robin

The orange-breasted herald of spring

Enormous Goliath frog resting on a wet rock beside a fast-flowing rainforest river

Amphibian

Goliath Frog

The largest frog on Earth

Glossy black fire salamander with bright yellow markings on a mossy forest floor

Amphibian

Fire Salamander

The black-and-yellow salamander of European forests

Brown cricket with long antennae and hind legs on the ground

Insect

Cricket

The chirping insect of warm evenings

Tiny translucent glass frog on a leaf with internal organs visible through its skin

Amphibian

Glass Frog

The frog with see-through skin

Stout dark tiger salamander with yellow blotches crawling across damp soil

Amphibian

Tiger Salamander

A stout, burrowing salamander of North America

Brown wood frog with a dark eye mask sitting on damp leaf litter in a forest

Amphibian

Wood Frog

The frog that freezes solid to survive winter

Bright orange red eft, the juvenile stage of the eastern newt, on a mossy log

Amphibian

Eastern Newt

The newt with a bright orange land stage

Close-up of a yellowjacket wasp with bold yellow and black stripes on a leaf

Insect

Yellowjacket

The bold black-and-yellow social wasp

Small plump common quail with mottled brown plumage standing in grass

Bird

Quail

The small, secretive ground bird of fields and grassland

Sacred ibis with white body, black head, and long curved bill wading in shallow water

Bird

Ibis

The long-billed wading bird of marsh and river

African ground squirrel (xerus) standing upright on dry ground with a bushy tail

Mammal

Xerus

The African ground squirrel that shades itself with its tail

Frequently asked questions

What are insectivores?

Insectivores specialise on insects and other arthropods. Many have fine teeth, sticky tongues, or probing bills suited to catching small, fast prey. They include anteaters, aardvarks, many bats, shrews, and countless birds — and they help control insect populations in every biome.

How many insectivores are in the Global Animal Guide?

The guide currently features 118 insectivores with answer-first profiles covering diet, habitat, size, and conservation status.

How do you decide an animal's diet category?

Diet facets are derived from each species' Diet fact on its profile (for example Carnivore, Herbivore, or more detailed notes). An animal can appear in more than one facet when its diet spans categories, such as omnivores that also eat insects.