Book 17, Question 108
How Do Some Birds Follow Army Ants to Find Food?
Some birds follow army ants because the ants chase food out of hiding! The birds do not eat the ants. They wait for the insects, spiders, and lizards that scramble away.
More fun facts
- Some birds follow swarms of army ants through the forest.
- They do not eat the ants.
- Instead, they catch insects fleeing from the ants.
- The ocellated antbird is one of these ant followers.
- Researchers in Panama track army ant swarms and the birds that follow them.
Sources: Smithsonian, National Geographic
Questions kids ask
Do antbirds eat army ants?
No. They catch the insects that flee from the ant swarm.