Birds eat a wide variety of insects and other small creatures, including wasps and bees. Many species of birds opportunistically feed on wasps, bees, and their larvae as part of their natural diets. However, some bird species actively hunt wasps and bees, relying on them as a primary food source.
In the opening paragraphs, we’ll provide quick answers to some common questions about birds eating wasps and bees:
Quick Answers
– Do any birds eat wasps and bees? Yes, many bird species eat wasps, bees, their larvae and nests, including flycatchers, swallows, some finches, and corvids.
– Why do birds eat wasps and bees? Birds eat wasps and bees for the nutrition and calories they provide. Some species specifically hunt them as a primary food source.
– What birds are known to eat wasps and bees? Birds like flycatchers, swallows, some woodpeckers, orioles, bee-eaters, and drongos frequently eat wasps, bees, and their larvae.
– How do birds catch and eat stinging insects? Birds have specialized beaks and feeding behaviors to remove stings and eat just the soft body parts of wasps and bees. Some have specialized feather adaptations.
– Do birds get stung when eating wasps and bees? Birds can get stung in the mouth or face when eating wasps and bees but are not generally deterred by it. Their skin and specialized feeding behaviors protect them from excessive harm.
Now we’ll go into more detail on which bird species eat wasps and bees and how they are adapted to handle these stinging insects.
Bird Species that Actively Hunt Wasps and Bees
Many birds opportunistically feed on wasps, bees, their larvae and nests when they find them. However, some bird families and species have evolved specialized adaptations and behaviors to actively hunt wasps, bees, and their hives as a primary food source.
Flycatchers
Insectivorous birds in the flycatcher family are well known for catching wasps and bees on the wing. Flycatchers like the Eastern Phoebe hunt flying insects from an open perch. Species like the Eastern Kingbird even pursue bees and wasps in flight to catch them. Flycatchers snap up most insects in mid-air with their wide gapes fringed with rictal bristles to protect their eyes from stings.
Swallows
Like flycatchers, aerial insectivores in the swallow family grab stinging insects like wasps and bees from the air. Barn Swallows frequently hunt bees and wasps, catching them with their large gapes as they fly near water. Some swallows even hunt by hovering in place to catch bees at hive entrances. The Purple Martin is especially known for eating bees and wasps. With their large mouths, swallows easily dispatch stinging insects by crunching the abdomen first.
Woodpeckers
Though they spend more time drilling into wood, many woodpeckers also hawk insects and eat the larvae of bees and wasps from old nests. Downy woodpeckers are known to catch bees from flowers, eating them headfirst to avoid stings. The Northern Flicker digs into nests in the ground to eat larvae and pupae. Sapsuckers drill into trees frequented by bees to feed on both sap and insects drawn to it.
Orioles
Orioles like the Baltimore Oriole hunt both flying adult insects and raid nests for larvae and eggs. Orioles use their pointed beaks to puncture the soft bodies of bees and wasps, neutralizing their ability to sting. They also weave hanging basket nests that deter predators.
Bee-Eaters
True to their name, bee-eaters comprise a family of near passerine birds with diverse species across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia, all specializing in eating bees, wasps, and other stinging insects. They capture the insects in mid-air, beating them against a perch to remove the venom sac before swallowing. The Merops bee-eaters are especially adept at catching and devouring bees and wasps.
Drongos
The drongo family is native to sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia. Species like the Black Drongo are aggressive insectivores that actively prey on wasps, bees, and hornets, catching them in midair from an open perch. They have evolved feather adaptations on their face and throat to protect against stings.
Other Bird Species Known to Eat Wasps and Bees
Beyond those specialized groups, many other bird types opportunistically feed on bees, wasps, their larvae, eggs, and nests:
– Some finches like the Purple Finch eat wasps and bees foraging on plants.
– Corvids like crows, ravens, magpies, and jays raid nests for wasp and bee larvae.
– Thrushes like the American Robin eat beetles, wasps, and bees from lawns.
– Wrens grab adult wasps and bees as well as larvae from nests.
– Larger predatory birds like hawks or honey buzzards feed insects like wasps and bees to their young.
– Insectivorous songbirds like warblers, vireos, and chickadees will eat bees, wasps, and larvae opportunistically.
– Scavengers like starlings, grackles, and blackbirds consume bees and wasps when available.
So most insectivorous birds will not pass up bees and wasps when the chance arises. But certain families are well adapted for actively hunting them.
Special Adaptations for Eating Wasps and Bees
Birds have specialized physical and behavioral adaptations to allow them to prey on stinging insects like bees and wasps safely:
Gaping Mouths
Most insectivorous birds that regularly eat wasps and bees have very wide mouths relative to their heads. The large gape allows them to snap up the insects and swallow them whole, minimizing damage from stings inside the mouth. Swallows and flycatchers have especially large gapes.
Rictal Bristles
Many hunting birds have bristly feathers around the base of the beak called rictal bristles. These help protect the eyes from the wings and legs of stinging insects like wasps as they capture them. Flycatchers, nightjars, and some swallows have pronounced rictal bristles.
Thick Skin and Feathers
Birds that prey on stinging insects frequently have thicker skin and specialized feathers that protect them from frequent stings. For example, drongos have thickened feathering on the face and throat.
Rolling Avoidance Behavior
When stinging insects do land painful stings, birds like European bee-eaters exhibit a rolling flight behavior. This seems to dislodge the stinger and possibly spread out the venom to neutralize the effect.
Sting Removal
Birds like European bee-eaters that specialize in stinging insects often catch them first, then beat them against a hard surface. This impacts the abdomen, likely rupturing the venom gland so the insect can no longer sting.
Nesting Strategies
Some birds build specially designed nests that deter predators and insects. Orioles weave long sack-like nests that bees and wasps can’t easily access. Bee-eaters dig tunnel nests with turns to block the sun, keeping them cool and inaccessible.
So through behavioral and physical adaptations, birds reduce harm from frequent stings. This allows them to exploit bees and wasps as a nutritious food source.
How Birds Eat Wasps and Bees
Birds have specialized feeding behaviors and strategies to catch and consume stinging insects:
Catching them Mid-Flight
Most hunting birds like flycatchers, swallows, and bee-eaters catch wasps and bees mid-flight. They then subdue them and remove the sting before swallowing. Their wide gapes allow them to capture even the fastest insects.
Neutralizing the Sting
Birds catch stinging insects by the wings or body to neutralize stings. Crunching the soft abdomen renders the stinger useless. Rolled avoidance behavior may also give time to disable the stinger.
Eating the Larvae and Eggs
Woodpeckers, orioles, corvids and other birds raid nests to eat the defenseless egg and larval stages of bees and wasps. This avoids stings altogether.
Eating the Head First
Some birds like to eat captured insects headfirst. This keeps the dangerous stinging abdomen away from their face as they swallow. Downy woodpeckers eat bees this way.
Dismembering First
Birds like shrikes impale captured insects on thorns. This removes stingers before they tear the prey into pieces and consume it.
Eating Just the Abdomen
A few birds prefer only the soft abdomen of captured bees and wasps. They remove and discard the head, wings, and stinger then just swallow the nutritious body.
Do Birds Get Stung When Eating Wasps and Bees?
Despite their adaptations, birds do sometimes get stung in the face or inside the mouth when eating wasps and bees. A few stings generally won’t deter them, but mass attacks can be dangerous.
Here are some ways birds get injured:
– Stings inside the mouth or throat while catching insects.
– Stings to the face or eyes by the wings or legs while capturing them.
– Multiple stings from hive defense when raiding nests.
– Accidental stings when removing stingers.
– Secondary infections from stings around the eyes or nostrils.
However, their innate protections normally limit harm. The thick skin, feathers, and gulping style of feeding makes stings little deterrent. Some species even seem immune to the venom.
So while eating behaviors minimize it, birds do sustain some stings while hunting. But they tolerate these injuries to gain the nutritious benefits of wasps and bees.
Benefits of Wasps and Bees in Bird Diets
Here are some key benefits birds gain from eating wasps, bees, and their larvae:
– High protein levels for growth and development. Bees and wasps are very high in protein.
– Good source of fat and calories for energy. The larval stage is especially calorie-dense.
– Important vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc for proper metabolism and enzyme function.
– Abundant source of food to feed large numbers of offspring during breeding season.
– Alternative food when other insects are scarce. Nests can be raided year round.
Nutrition of Bees and Wasps for Birds:
| Bee/Wasp Stage | Protein | Fat | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | 25-40% | 14-22% fat | 291 calories per 100 grams |
| Pupa | 52-82% | 9-24% fat | 455 calories per 100 grams |
| Larva | 42-56% | 24-43% fat | 548 calories per 100 grams |
So bees and wasps provide high-quality nutrition to sustain birds and their high metabolisms. This makes them an attractive prey item for many species.
Dangers of Wasps and Bees to Birds
However, bees and wasps do pose some risks to birds that hunt them:
– Venomous stings inside the mouth, face, and eyes can cause injury, infection, and even blindness.
– Swallowing stingers can lead to secondary infections.
– Mass attacks from disturbed hives can be fatal if enough venom is delivered.
– Anaphylactic allergic reactions to stings may rarely occur.
– Honey bee barbed stingers left in the skin prolong venom delivery.
– Human pesticide use may poison both insects and the birds that eat them.
So while birds are adapted to eat stinging insects, large swarms can still overwhelm and kill them. Their nutrition benefits seem to outweigh the danger in most cases though.
Do Wasps and Bees Deter Certain Bird Species?
The threat of stings does deter some birds from directly consuming bees and wasps. Species like:
– Smaller songbirds with less sting protection.
– Birds with small mouths that can’t gulp insects quickly.
– Non-insectivorous species like doves and parrots.
These birds will avoid actively hunting bees and wasps. However, some may opportunistically eat larvae from nests and discarded wings.
Most insectivorous species have adapted to eat bees and wasps despite the danger. But the stings likely help keep populations of small omnivorous birds in check.
Conclusion
Many predatory bird species have evolved adaptations to allow them to specialize in hunting bees, wasps, and their nests. Their sting defenses and feeding strategies allow them to minimize harm while benefiting from the nutrition they provide. Birds do sustain some stings, but the abundant calories and protein outweigh the minimal danger for most. While stinging insects can be deadly in mass quantities, birds have developed an optimal balance of risk and reward from raiding them. Their interdependent relationship highlights the equilibrium that evolves in nature over time.
