INSECT-EATING BIRDS

The majority of birds rely on insects for at least part of their diets. Insectivorous birds can get most of their water needs from their prey.

Acorn Woodpecker

pursuing insect in air (hawking)

Acorn Woodpecker      Melanerpes formicivorus

USA; California, Roseville

American Dipper

insects in bill; by waterfall - stonefly, etc.

American Dipper      Cinclus mexicanus

USA; California, Sierra Co.

American Kestrel

head-shot, eating green grasshopper

American Kestrel      Falco sparverius

Bank Swallow

with food in bill insects

Bank Swallow      Riparia riparia

Black-backed Kingfisher

eating katydid

Black-backed Kingfisher      Ceyx erithacus

Borneo, Malaysia, Sabah, Crocker Range NP, Melalap

Black-billed Cuckoo

on tent caterpillar nest, Malacosoma

Black-billed Cuckoo      Coccyzus erythropthalmus

USA; Wisconsin, Columbia Co.

Black-cheeked Woodpecker

insect in beak

Black-cheeked Woodpecker      Melanerpes pucherani

Ecuador, Pichincha, Rancho Suamox

Black Drongo

eating butterfly - Danaus

Black Drongo      Dicrurus macrocercus

India, West Bengal, Jalpaiguri

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

butterfly in bill, Vanessa

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater      Merops persicus

Oman, Hafeet

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

butterfly in bill, Vanessa

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater      Merops persicus

Oman, Hafeet

Botteri's Sparrow

with caterpillars in beak

Botteri's Sparrow      Aimophila botterii

USA; Arizona, Cochise Co.

Brown Creeper

insect in bill

Brown Creeper      Certhia americana

USA; California, San Bernadino Co.

Brush Cuckoo

eating caterpillar

Brush Cuckoo      Cacomantis variolosus

Philippines, Mindanao, Davao City, Baracatan, 1400 m.

Chin-spot Puffback

caterpillar in bill

Chin-spot Puffback      Batis molitor

Kenya, Aberdares National Park

Common Black-Hawk

large insect in bill

Common Black-Hawk      Buteogallus anthracinus

Mexico; Nayarit, San Blas

Corn Bunting

grasshoppers in bill

Corn Bunting      Emberiza calandra

Spain, Trujillo, Caceres Plain

Crowned Hornbill

large moth in bill

Crowned Hornbill      Tockus alboterminatus

Kenya, Aberdares National Park

Eastern Bluebird

praying mantis in beak

Eastern Bluebird      Sialia sialis

USA; New Jersey, Wharton State Forest

Eastern Bluebird

feeding cricket to chick

Eastern Bluebird      Sialia sialis

Canada; Quebec, Quebec City

Eastern Bluebird

eating Monarch Butterfly caterpillar

Eastern Bluebird      Sialia sialis

USA; Virginia, Shenandoah National Park

Eastern Kingbird

With dragonfly

Eastern Kingbird      Tyrannus tyrannus

USA; Washington, Grant County

Eastern Kingbird

with Bumblebee in bill

Eastern Kingbird      Tyrannus tyrannus

USA; Illinois, Chicago

Galapagos Mockingbird

insect in bill - moth body

Galapagos Mockingbird      Nesomimus parvulus

Grasshopper Sparrow

grasshopper in bill, insect

Grasshopper Sparrow      Ammodramus savannarum

USA; New Jersey, Franklin Township, Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve

Greater Roadrunner

on granite boulder with grasshopper in beak

Greater Roadrunner      Geococcyx californianus

USA; California, Anza Borrego Desert State Park,

Green Jay

insect in bill - beetle

Green Jay      Cyanocorax yncas

Large Cuckooshrike

eating insect, cicada

Large Cuckooshrike      Coracina macei

Malaysia, Fraser's Hill

Lark Bunting

Breeding plumage with prey in bill - grasshoppers

Lark Bunting      Calamospiza melanocorys

USA; Colorado, Weld Co.

Lesser Kestrel

grasshopper in bill

Lesser Kestrel      Falco naumanni

Lilac-breasted Roller

with insect in bill, grasshopper

Lilac-breasted Roller      Coracias caudatus

Kenya, Keekorok Lodge, Maasai Mara

Lilac-breasted Roller

tossing grasshopper to swallow

Lilac-breasted Roller      Coracias caudatus

Kenya, Masai Mara

Loggerhead Shrike

with dragonfly impaled on barbed wire

Loggerhead Shrike      Lanius ludovicianus

USA; Florida, Venice

Louisiana Waterthrush

caterpillar and crane fly in beak

Louisiana Waterthrush      Seiurus motacilla

USA; Illinois, Palos Park, McClaughry Springs FP

Magnolia Warbler

perched on a spruce branch, eating caterpillar

Magnolia Warbler      Setophaga magnolia

Canada; Ontario, Near Huntsville

Masked Trogon

moth in beak

Masked Trogon      Trogon personatus

Masked Trogon

caterpillar in bill

Masked Trogon      Trogon personatus

Meadow Pipit

summer adult with craneflies and other insects in bill

Meadow Pipit      Anthus pratensis

United Kingdom; England, Merseyside

Merlin

carrying prey - dragonfly

Merlin      Falco columbarius

USA; New York, Jones Beach State Park

Montane Woodcreeper

insect in bill - beetle

Montane Woodcreeper      Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger

Mountain Bluebird

with grasshopper for nestlings

Mountain Bluebird      Sialia currucoides

Canada; British Columbia, Penticton

Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet

feeding on moth caterpillar

Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet      Camptostoma imberbe

USA; Arizona, Patagonia

Northern Wheatear

caterpillar and fritillary butterfly in bill

Northern Wheatear      Oenanthe oenanthe

USA; Alaska, Seward Peninsula

Palm Warbler

fall plumage with moth in bill

Palm Warbler      Setophaga palmarum

USA; Illinois, Chicago

Pied Water-tyrant

insect prey in beak

Pied Water-tyrant      Fluvicola pica

Venezuela, Hato Pinero

Pine Warbler

red admiral butterfly in beak, Vanessa atalanta

Pine Warbler      Setophaga pinus

USA; Illinois, Montrose Beach, Chicago

Pine Warbler

feeding caterpillar to fledgling

Pine Warbler      Setophaga pinus

Prairie Warbler

perched on branch with caterpillar in bill

Prairie Warbler      Setophaga discolor

Canada; Ontario, Carden Alvar

Purple Gallinule

caterpillar in bill, insect

Purple Gallinule      Porphyrio martinicus

USA; Florida, Palm Beach Co.

Red-naped Sapsucker

eating insect - wasp

Red-naped Sapsucker      Sphyrapicus nuchalis

USA; Washington, Yakima County

Red-winged Blackbird

with katydid

Red-winged Blackbird      Agelaius phoeniceus

Resplendent Quetzal

bringing food to nest, insect

Resplendent Quetzal      Pharomachrus mocinno

Costa Rica, Central Highlands

Rhinoceros Hornbill

landing at nest cavity with insect, orthoptera, katydid?

Rhinoceros Hornbill      Buceros rhinoceros

Thailand, Budo Sungai Padi National Park

Rusty Blackbird

with cricket in bill

Rusty Blackbird      Euphagus carolinus

USA; Illinois, Chicago

Short-eared Owl

with insect in bill - moth

Short-eared Owl      Asio flammeus

Sooty Ant-Tanager

eating moth, insect

Sooty Ant-Tanager      Habia gutturalis

Colombia, Caldas, Victoria

Summer Tanager

eating insect

Summer Tanager      Piranga rubra

USA; Texas, Falcon Point Ranch

Von Der Decken's Hornbill

insect in bill

Von Der Decken's Hornbill      Tockus deckeni

Kenya, Taita Hills

Wattled Lapwing

grasshopper in bill, insect

Wattled Lapwing      Vanellus senegallus

Western Bluebird

female with Jerusalem cricket, Stenopalmatus, in beak

Western Bluebird      Sialia mexicana

USA; California, Santa Barabara

Western Kingbird

with insect in bill

Western Kingbird      Tyrannus verticalis

USA; Colorado, Pawnee National Grassland

Western Wood-Pewee

with fly in bill; insect

Western Wood-Pewee      Contopus sordidulus

Canada; British Columbia, Penticton

White-eared Puffbird

eating grasshopper

White-eared Puffbird      Nystalus chacuru

Brazil, Mato Grosso, N. of Jauru

White-fronted Bee-eater

feeding on dragonfly

White-fronted Bee-eater      Merops bullockoides

Zambia, Luangwa National Park

White-throated Dipper

eating caddisfly larva

White-throated Dipper      Cinclus cinclus

United Kingdom; England, Derbyshire

Wilson's Warbler

eating insect, cranefly

Wilson's Warbler      Cardellina pusilla

Costa Rica, Savegre Lodge, San Gerardo de Dota

Yellow-breasted Warbler

beating caterpillar

Yellow-breasted Warbler      Seicercus montis

Malaysia, Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia, Sabah, Kinabalu Park, near HQ ca 1,600 m

Yellow-headed Caracara

removing insects from rear end of capybara

Yellow-headed Caracara      Milvago chimachima

Argentina, Ibera Wetlands, Estancia Rincon del Socorro

Yellow-headed Caracara

removing insects from rear end of capybara

Yellow-headed Caracara      Milvago chimachima

Argentina, Ibera Wetlands, Estancia Rincon del Socorro