Online Community Is Amazed By How Some Bird Species Use Ants To Their Benefit

In particular, they use the acid that the ants release.

May

• Published in Animals
• November 26, 2022

There are so many things to love about wild birds! Their beauty, their song, their resilience – it’s hard not to be charmed by these amazing creatures.

Wild birds also demonstrate some remarkable behaviors that can leave us feeling shocked and amazed. For instance, there are migratory birds that travel thousands of miles each year, stopping for rest and refueling along the way.

They truly are natural marvels, demonstrating the power of evolution and adaptation in the animal kingdom. Who knew such wonders could be found just by looking up?

In this post, we are looking at the interesting wild bird fact shared by a Redditor who posted on the "Today I Learned" (TIL) subreddit. According to BrownBirdDiaries, more than 200 bird species, which include wild turkeys, Northern Cardinals, and Baltimore Orioles, are using ants to their benefit.

They use a pest control method called anting. It involves getting an ant by the beak and wiping the tail feathers to prevent lice.

Birds benefit from the formic acid released by ants. This method is part of their routine.

After reading this TIL entry, people were amazed by the practicality of these birds. Others were also curious about what other pests formic acid can deter.

Here's the original post on the TIL subreddit.

A Redditor jokingly mentioned one baseball team.

It's been a long time since this Redditor saw an oriole.

A Redditor wonders if the ants are really just for preventing lice.

The user clarified why they had ant-filled pots.

Looks like formic acid came from French words.

If ants would think like us humans, they'd hate existing only to be used as a lice deterrent.

Wonders of nature

A user is wondering if formic acid is that weird smell after squishing an ant.

A Redditor claims that squished black ants smell like blue cheese.

A Redditor shared an article about ant scents.

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Another use of formic acid

Would formic acid work on mosquitoes?

These Redditors are simply amazed at the TIL entry.

If formic acid from ants were a commercial

Would ants also prevent lice from cats?

A user has witnessed an ant-using bird first-hand.

What a scary bird...

A Redditor ponders about the use of bugs.

Cardinals are not just lovely. They're resourceful too!

Would formic acid from ants benefit dogs too?

Birds are not only used for their feather and skin maintenance. Other species use millipedes too.

Although anting is most frequently done on the ground, several species of birds also ant on tree branches. An ant may, on occasion, be used more than once, but never more than three times.

Some birds may also perform passive anting, wherein they rub their tail and wings on an anthill. This behavior is not very common in birds but can be observed in ravens and robins.

Do you have a pet bird? Have you seen it pick a bird using its beak and rub it on its body?

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