The plant that originate in the deserts of the American Southwest are an important generator of food for a number of creatures . In addition to worm like the red - winged hopper and harvester ant that depend on plants for all or part of the nutrition , many other species require works in rules of order to hold out . Many mammals , birds and reptile of the desert consume the industrial plant life that grow there , with many gravel all or most of their water from the plant they eat .
Jackrabbits
The jackrabbit is a consumer of desert plants , with the black - tail jackrabbit and the antelope jackrabbit having across-the-board dispersion in the American desert . These appendage of the hare menage will eat on a change of plant , from sedge and pasture to cactus in times of severe drought . The white - sided jackrabbit of southern portions of New Mexico is a less common hare that will appear for sedges and grasses during its nocturnal journey through the desert .
Coyotes
Coyotes will use up a little bit of everything , being omnivores , and this is particularly true of those that call the desert regions home . The coyote often partakes of a plant called the prairie wolf melon , a case of calabash that man and most other animals shun . prairie wolf will gladly eat , as they derive much wet from this plant . Coyotes will also dine on berries and fruits as well as the seedcase of the mesquite tree , a eccentric of legume that grow a very deep taproot to last in the harsh desert environment .
Other Mammals
Other desert mammalian will have plants as all or a constituent of its menu . These include the mule cervid , the pronghorn antelope , the javelina , the outfit fox and the Nasua narica . The collared musk hog roves around in packs , and it will feast on prickly pear cactus . Many character of rodent , including the kangaroo scum bag and the pack blabber , will consume parts of works , with come high on their inclination of priorities .
Birds
Birds are entire cog in the desert ecosystem , and although some , like the chaparral cock , will subsist in the main on reptilian , many have plant as part of their diets . The cactus Sir Christopher Wren eats yield and seed to add on the insects it get , while the grasshopper hedge sparrow will seek seeds in the winter calendar month . The Gambel ’s quail can make a repast out of almost any plant it run into , eat part of tree , shrubs and cacti , as well as forbs and Mary Jane . The curvature - billed thrasher is another eccentric of bird that find cacti berries and fruit edible .
Reptiles
Reptiles such as the desert box turtle will crunch on plant like the prickly pear and others that have water content and nutritionary value . The desert tortoise has the power to pig dry foraging , but much prefers to rust tasty wildflower and sens . When desert rain convey these plant to life , the desert tortoise will fain walk around eating the flowers and any other new ontogeny it can access . These reptiles will also eat on cacti and their flowers , as well .
