How Do Birds Find Worms?

How do birds find worms?

Birds find worms by taking a high position (tree, power lines, flying) and using their exceptional vision to spot movement on the ground. Birds that eat worms will often have an impressive ability to pinpoint worms that move across the grass or come out of the soil.

If you ever watch a bird that is flying around, their goal is to look out for these subtle movements and quickly swoop down for easy pickings.

It comes naturally to birds and they perfect it over time depending on what’s happening around them.

The benefits of worms for birds include:

  • High in Nutrients
  • Loads of Worms to Choose From
  • Tasty

It is these benefits that start illustrating more on answering the question, “How do birds find worms?”

Anyone that observes birds will see them munching away on worms from time to time. This is a common occurrence during the warmer months when the worms will come out of the soil during rainstorms. Birds will often wait for the rain to go away and then will eat the worms.

Here is more on “How do birds find worms?” while also determining which worms are great for your yard to help feed birds.

Best Worms for Birds (EDITOR’S CHOICE)

Kaytee Wild Bird Food Mealworms For Bluebirds, Wrens,...
  • Kaytee Mealworms are an excellent, high-protein food source for many wild birds. They are a high-energy treat that will...
  • Attract Bluebirds, Wrens, Robins, Chickadees, Woodpeckers and Cardinals
  • Can be fed alone in a feeder or mixed with a favorited seed

Last update on 2023-11-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Benefits of Worms for Birds

1. High in Protein

Birds love eating worms because they are filling and offer a good amount of protein.

Most animals need protein to survive and maintain muscle. As a result, birds will actively seek out worms along the ground to make sure they are eating the right type of food.

While asking “How do birds find worms?” it’s always important to know what the underlying advantages are for birds. What makes them want to go down this path in the first place rather than finding other sources of food that are even easier to eat?

It simply comes down to wanting more protein in their diet.

Experts Say...
60-70% of an earthworm’s body is comprised of protein making it a rich protein source for birds to eat.

When you are trying to put on earthworms for birds in your yard, make sure they are the right kind. This is going to go a long way in keeping the birds full and ensuring they don’t ruin other elements of your yard.

This is a concern some bird owners have but it always comes down to what you are putting in front of the birds as they fly around.

With a good amount of earthworms and bird seeds, the birds will have a great time.

How do birds find worms

2. Easy to Hunt

Even birds that aren’t good at hunting or are disadvantaged due to an injury will have no problem eating earthworms after a rainstorm.

It is easy to head over to any part of the ground and notice earthworms wriggling around from one end to the other. This is what makes them such an easy food source to go after.

There are thousands of earthworms that come to the surface during a rainstorm making them easy to consume for the average bird.

Birds will often set up shop over top of a garden and try to pick out earthworms.

They will notice the movement and that is often enough to get them to swoop in. You will often notice this during the warmer months because earthworms are more common during this time of the year.

How do birds find worms

3. Taste Great

It is one of those benefits that is going to be there for almost any animal.

The average animal still wants to enjoy what they are eating regardless of what’s in their diet. This is something that stands out for birds because they enjoy eating worms.

It is something that resonates with them and they do actively hunt for when given the chance. So, if you are thinking about putting out earthworms for birds, it’s time to get started right away.

This is going to taste great and they will realize it is a proper meal for them to feast on. This alone makes it the best option for the bird’s needs.

Final Thoughts

“How do birds find worms?”

Birds will do one of two things when they are in search of worms on the ground. They will either remain in the sky looking down at the ground for movement or come straight to a section of the ground where worms could potentially pop out after a rainstorm.

This is a common occurrence that tends to happen on warmer days or after it has poured for a while.

There are several advantages for eating worms, which is why birds prefer them whenever given the opportunity to eat them.

Here is more on giving food to birds outdoors – giving chicken bones to a bird, giving chillies to a bird as food, giving celery to birds, and putting up a rain guard near the bird feeder.