Birds Eating Ants on a Log Pile!

A wildlife trail camera pointed at a log pile to see what sort of animals might come along. I was happy to record a variety of birds including Gray Catbird, Starlings, Robins, Blue Jays, and Northern Flicker Woodpecker eating ants flying from the log pile. In this video you will see these birds eating ants up close.
In Massachusetts, log piles provide an abundant food source for various bird species, including the Gray Catbird, Starlings, Robins, Blue Jays, and Northern Flicker Woodpeckers. These avian species are adept insectivores, and log piles serve as a prime hunting ground for their insect prey.
The Gray Catbird, known for its distinctive mewing call, is a frequent visitor to log piles, where it forages for insects such as beetles, caterpillars, and ants. Its slender bill and agile movements make it well-suited for picking insects from crevices in the wood.
Starlings, although considered invasive in some regions, play a crucial role in insect control. In log piles, they voraciously consume various insects, including grasshoppers, moths, and beetles. Their gregarious nature often leads to large groups gathering around log piles to feed.
Robins are familiar sights in Massachusetts, particularly in suburban areas with ample green spaces. They utilize log piles as a valuable food source, feeding on earthworms, spiders, and insects such as beetles and caterpillars. Their keen eyesight and ground-foraging behavior make them efficient hunters amidst the wood debris.
Blue Jays, with their striking blue plumage and raucous calls, are opportunistic feeders known to exploit various food sources, including insects found in log piles. They feed on a wide range of insects, from grasshoppers to beetles, and their intelligence allows them to quickly locate and extract prey from the decaying wood.
Northern Flicker Woodpeckers, characterized by their unique black bib and spotted plumage, are well-adapted for foraging in log piles. Their specialized tongues and strong bills enable them to probe deep into the wood, where they find ants, beetles, and other wood-boring insects. Their presence in log piles not only aids in insect control but also contributes to the natural decomposition process of fallen timber.
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