Brown Thrasher


A few times a week, tiny black ants will emerge from between the bricks in the back patio. During a recent emergence, a juvenile brown thrasher flew in and started picking off ants one by one. I can't imagine that these tiny ants were satiating which is why I'm guessing the brown thrasher soon hopped away to under a nearby bush and emerged with a beak full of grasshopper.

All About Birds says brown thrashers are omnivores and I, for one, am glad they eat grasshoppers. Apparently, they enjoy many insects which are pests to humans like tent caterpillars. This is important information. I'll keep some shrubbery in the backyard to encourage them to if not live here then at least feed here. 

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