Cicadas are large, noisy insects that emerge from the ground in great numbers every few years. Their emergence provides a feast for birds, which are some of the most common predators of cicadas.
Birds That Eat Cicadas
Many species of birds consume cicadas. Some of the most notable include:
- Blue jays – Blue jays are opportunistic omnivores and cicadas make up a large part of their diet when they are active.
- Robins – Robins are commonly seen feasting on cicadas, especially in the summer months when the cicadas emerge.
- Woodpeckers – Woodpeckers drill into trees to extract cicada larvae and adults.
- Warblers – The colorful spring warblers feed on cicadas while migrating back north.
- Thrushes – Species like the Eastern bluebird thrive on protein-packed cicadas.
- Crows – Highly intelligent American crows crack open cicada exoskeletons to get to the soft insides.
- Chickadees – Quick and acrobatic chickadees grab adult cicadas right out of the air.
- Tanagers – Scarlet and summer tanagers use their sharp beaks to snap up cicadas.
In addition to songbirds, larger predatory birds like hawks, owls, and vultures will also prey on cicadas when the opportunity arises.
Why Do Birds Like Eating Cicadas?
Birds consume cicadas for several key reasons:
- High in protein – Cicadas are a great source of protein for birds. This helps fuel growth, egg production, and satisfy hungry nestlings.
- Readily available – When cicadas emerge en masse, they provide an abundant food source for opportunistic birds.
- Easy to catch – Cicadas are relatively slow and clumsy fliers, making them easy targets for quick, aerial predators.
- Nutrient timing – The emergence of cicadas coincides with breeding season when parent birds need extra nutrition.
In essence, cicadas provide a convenient, protein-packed feast for birds when their nutritional needs are high.
How Do Birds Catch and Eat Cicadas?
Birds have adapted different techniques for catching and consuming cicadas:
- Aerial attack – Birds like chickadees and tanagers expertly pluck cicadas right out of the air in fast aerial maneuvers.
- Ground foraging – Robins, thrushes, and other ground feeders grab newly emerged cicadas off the soil, trees, and vegetation.
- Drilling – Woodpeckers bore holes into trees, where they use their long, sticky tongues to extract cicada larvae.
- Tool use – Some intelligent birds like crows have been observed using sticks or rocks to pry open cicada exoskeletons.
- Cracking – Strong bills allow jays and crows to crack through the cicada’s shell in order to access the soft abdomen.
- Dismembering – Birds remove cicada wings and legs with their beaks before swallowing the high-protein body.
Birds that hunt cicadas have adapted specialized hunting, foraging, and food processing behaviors to take advantage of this abundant insect food source.
When Do Birds Eat Cicadas?
The timing of cicada emergences determines when birds can capitalize on this food bonanza:
- Early summer – Birds consume the most cicadas in late spring and early summer when large broods begin emerging.
- Breeding season – Parent birds gorge on cicadas to feed their hungry nestlings.
- During migration – Some migratory warblers and flycatchers refuel on cicadas.
- Opportunistically – Birds will eat cicadas whenever they are available, even outside of major emergences.
However, not all cicada species emerge simultaneously. Different broods appear on multi-year cycles, providing a feast for birds every few summers when their numbers explode regionally.
Do Birds Help Control Cicada Populations?
Birds do prey heavily on cicadas and can help keep their numbers in check, but they do not significantly control cicada populations overall. Reasons why birds only have a limited effect include:
- Sheer numbers – When cicadas emerge en masse, their populations are simply too large for birds to make a major dent.
- Reproductive strategy – Cicadas reproduce rapidly and overwhelm predators before dying off naturally.
- Predator satiation – Birds get full before they can eat all the cicadas in a given area during an emergence.
- Underground phase – Birds cannot reach cicadas while they live underground as nymphs for years between emergences.
While birds do limit cicada numbers, especially solitary individuals between emergences, they do not control the overall cicada life cycle. Periodic emergences ensure cicada survival as a species despite predation.
Fun Facts About Birds Eating Cicadas
- Woodpeckers may consume up to 85% cicadas during an emergence period.
- Chickadees can eat over 100 cicadas per day at the peak of an emergence.
- Some chickadee parents bring their fledglings up to 15 cicadas per hour.
- Newly emerged cicadas can account for 60% of a songbird’s diet.
- Birds such as crows have shown the ability to use tools to help open cicada shells.
Conclusion
Cicadas provide a vital source of nutrition for many species of birds when they emerge in great numbers. Birds have adapted specialized hunting and foraging techniques to capitalize on this abundant food bonanza. While birds do prey heavily on cicadas, they do not significantly control cicada populations due to the insect’s reproductive strategy. But for birds, the periodic emergence of cicadas provides a protein-packed feast that fuels breeding, migration, and the raising of nestlings.