A Red-tailed Hawk was observed by MCR staff using ants to help preen its feathers! The hawk was filmed sitting on an ant hill and moving around on the hill to allow the ants to crawl over its body. This unique maintenance behavior called “anting” involves the bird either picking up ants with its beak and rubbing ants on its body or allowing the ants to crawl over their body and onto their feathers and skin to apply acidic secretions produced by the insect.
This behavior, practiced by over 200 bird species, uses the formic acid produced by ants as a natural insecticide, fungicide, and bactericide to manage parasites and feather health. It also helps soothe skin irritation during molting.
Hawk Preening with Ants Photos by MCR Staff Ecologist John Parke