Few insects fill people with as much horror as ticks. These parasitic arachnids may only measure a few millimeters long, but they can do a lot of damage if left unchecked. Ticks feed off the blood of animals and humans. They can carry viruses and pathogens such as typhus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and Alpha-gal syndrome. There are many products on the market to help prevent tick bites, including sprays and tick-repellent clothing. However, there are natural methods to reduce tick populations, too. One of the most well-known is to introduce animals that eat ticks into the area. In this article, we’ll discover seven different birds that eat ticks.
#7. Duck
Ducks can pick up large numbers of ticks when they forage in long grass.
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Ducks are among the most widely distributed waterfowl in the world. Mostly omnivorous, ducks eat a wide variety of plant and animal matter, from aquatic plants to fish and insects. Along with eating mosquitoes, flies, and other pests, ducks consume ticks found in long grass and dense vegetation near bodies of water. They also eat any ticks they find on their own bodies while grooming. Ducks can eat hundreds of ticks in a single day, which can significantly reduce tick populations. It’s no wonder many farmers keep ducks to help decrease the risk of tick-borne illnesses.
#6. Guinea Fowl
Guinea fowl pick up ticks while following animal herds.
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Guinea fowl, also known as pet speckled hens, originated in Africa. As one of the oldest ground-feeding birds, domesticated guinea fowl now range throughout the world. In the wild, guinea fowl follow animal herds and consume bugs in animal manure and carcasses. Guinea fowl ranks among the most effective birds that eat ticks. In fact, farmers have used guinea fowl for generations as a natural tick repellent. The birds will pick up ticks from herd animals, as well as from tall grass. Once a guinea fowl spots a tick, it picks it up with its beak and swallows the insect whole. Over a year, a single guinea fowl may eat thousands of ticks.
#5. Woodpecker
The downy woodpecker is an insectivore and uses its long tongue to pick up ticks off trees.
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Different woodpecker species can be found in open woodlands and forests throughout the United States. Both the downy woodpecker and the hairy woodpecker are common sights at backyard feeders across most of the United States and Canada. Most people are familiar with the distinctive knocking sound woodpeckers make when they drill their beaks into trees. Woodpeckers are primarily insectivores and eat insects found in trees. However, they also use their long, sticky tongues to snatch ticks crawling on tree bark and nearby vegetation.
#4. Oxpecker
Oxpeckers pick ticks off the backs of their animal hosts.
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The oxpecker is a small songbird endemic to the grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa. They get their name from their unusual habit of perching on the backs of large mammals, such as zebras, antelopes, rhinos, and wildebeests. Oxpeckers graze for insects on top of their animal hosts. They also feed on parasites found in an animal’s open wounds. Oxpeckers make short work of ticks feeding on their animal hosts. Along with ticks, oxpeckers also target lice and fleas, and can deftly remove embedded insects with their sharp beaks.
#3. Quail
Quail eat a large number of ticks while hunting for insects hiding in the grass.
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The quail belongs to the family of ground-feeding birds known as Galliformes. They range throughout most of the world and live in a variety of habitats, but they prefer grasslands and open woodlands. Traditionally hunted as game birds, many farmers now also raise quail for commercial production. Quail eat a wide variety of insects and plants, but they are particularly adept at consuming ticks, as they forage on the ground where ticks are most commonly found. When hunting for ticks, they stick their heads into tall grass or bushes and pluck the bugs from leaves.
#2. Chicken
Free-range chickens have been found to eat ticks both on the ground and on livestock.
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The chicken is one of the most common domesticated animals on the planet. People raise chickens for both meat and eggs. Chickens will eat just about anything they can catch, although seeds and insects make up a large portion of their diet. They readily consume ticks, which makes chickens popular with farmers and herders. Farmers in some parts of the world also rely on chickens to keep ticks off their livestock. When grazing, chickens use their sharp beaks to peck at the ground and pick up ticks and other insects.
#1. Turkey
Turkeys eat a wide variety of fruits, nuts, and seeds, as well as ticks.
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The turkey is one of the largest birds in the Galliformes family. Endemic to North America, turkeys are easily identifiable due to their size, sound, and distinctive wattle. They typically live in woodland areas, but can also be found in grasslands or swamps. Turkeys eat a wide variety of foods, particularly fruits, nuts, seeds, and insects. Turkeys eat ticks they find while foraging, as well as any ticks on their own bodies while preening. Although turkeys are believed to consume hundreds of ticks per day, studies have shown that turkey foraging is unlikely to significantly reduce local tick populations.
