Ants are a plentiful resource found in a wide variety of habitats, so it is no surprise that some birds take advantage of them as a food source. But, they can be hard to get to in their underground tunnels or deep within rotting wood. Let’s look at ten birds that eat ants and how they go about consuming them.
10 Birds That Eat Ants
While there are a number of birds that eat ants all over the globe, this list concentrates on those that live within the United States.
1. Northern Flicker
Scientific Name: Colaptes auratus
Northern flickers are medium sized woodpeckers known for their distinctive plumage; a mix of spots, stripes, and colorful feathers. Like most woodpeckers they can drill into trees to find insects. However the flicker also likes to find insects on the ground. You may spot them walking around your lawn, searching for bugs by either digging through leaf litter or pecking into the ground.
Ants are a favorite of the flicker. Once they’ve located an anthill or a collection of them underground, they can peck holes into the soil and stick in their extra long tongue. The ants easily get stuck to their tongue and dozens can be consumed in one gulp. If a flicker strikes gold, they can eat hundreds or thousands of ants at one time.
Northern flickers eat more ants than any other bird in North America, including all the ones on this list. Their specialized diet sets them apart, relying heavily on ants as their primary food source.
2. Downy Woodpecker
Scientific Name: Picoides pubescens