The main difference between scavenger and decomposer is that scavenger consumes dead plants, animals or carrion to break down the organic materials into small particles whereas decomposer consumes the small particles produced by the scavengers. Scavengers can be animals such as birds, crabs, insects, and worms.

Scavenger is the organisms that break apart the dead and decayed matter into smaller particles. In contrast, decomposer is such organisms that further break-down or decompose the dead matter (dead plants and animals). As a result, they provide nutrients to the soil by producing products such as nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium.