Answer – Deer are primarily herbivores, but they can exhibit opportunistic omnivore behavior when necessary.
Explanation:
While deer are classified as herbivores due to their diet and digestive system adapted for plant consumption, they may occasionally consume animal matter like insects, rodents, and even bird eggs or fish. This opportunistic behavior does not make them true omnivores, as they are not well-adapted to survive solely on animal-based diets long-term, unlike carnivores.
They have evolved to survive by consuming a variety of food sources, including browse (leafy parts of woody plants), forbs (herbaceous broad-leaved plants), hard and soft mast (seeds), grass, and mushrooms/lichens. Their anatomy, behavior, and physiology are specifically adapted to select and process these different types of food efficiently. In essence, deer are herbivores that can consume some animal protein but rely predominantly on plant matter for sustenance.
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