How do birds find worms?

How do birds like the American robin, killdeer and European starling find worms? What senses do they use, and how are they able to pull a worm out in one attempt? I discuss some of the research and some of my own observations on American robins and killdeer.
Sometimes when presenting research in a video, the answer is that we don't quite know why or how. A research study says one thing, only to have different or contradicting evidence in another study years later. Also, what senses a bird uses to find worms may vary from one species to another, as I noticed with the killdeer (no head cock to the side like the American robin). Currently, the research has shown that we know some of the answer, but not all of it, and that's where our own observations play an important role.
Related videos:
Things You May Not Know About the American Robin kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGbMdqiLrL6Sr6c
In this video I go into more detail about the studies that were done.
The Always Lively Killdeer
kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWKkdqCEfNKqmck
Chapters:
Killdeer foraging for worms 00:00
American robin research 00:29
Citizen scientist 00:54
Killdeer observations 01:15
Herbst corpuscles 01:40
Worm charming 02:28
Conclusion 02:45
All Things Birdie Merchandise
all-things-birdie.myspreadshop.com
Social Media:
Instagram @allthingsbirdie
Photos and video sources:
Canva.com
www.canva.com/policies/free-media-license-agreement-2022-01-03/
Wikipedia Creative Commons License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Credits in order of appearance:
-Common blackbird by Ivonne Wierink from Canva.com
-Woman with binoculars by Stephane Bidouze from Canva.com
-Human skin anatomy by US Gov from Wikipedia.com
-Earthworm in soil by John Shepherd from Canva.com
Thumbnail photo credit by dhblac from Canva.com

[@allthingsbirdie]

If you're interested, I go into more detail about the research studies in my video on the American robin. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGbMdqiLrL6Sr6c

[@FlockMaster]

After a rainstorm we had about 3 dozen earthworms laying up on our concrete driveway and patio. It was an invasion, ha,ha! One day, I saw a Robin running around with a big fat worm in his beak-and another Robin chasing him-trying to grab it away from him, rather than finding his own worm, ha,ha!!

[@Eyeballman24]

Robins in my neighborhood cheat, when it rains they've figured out to hang out by sidewalks and roads and look for the worms that emerge.

[@lostcause1206]

You know where to get grocery , too..

[@KennuhWayne]

"Cheat". 😅😅

[@karendegeyter2937]

At my house they do the same thing.

[@tracylee4442]

Yes here too. I had a robin one year that would follow me as I gardened, and when I encountered grubs or the occasional worm, I would toss them to him. He was my buddy. But I definitely see robins showing up on the roads as the worms are washed up in a hard rain. It’s their version of fast food

[@rickpick9058]

As soon as I pull out the garden hose, the robins show up. Watered lawn = worms coming to the surface = happy robin!

[@rubytuby6369]

Catching nightcrawlers, I’d always look for the glint of light reflecting off the worm. Even a small amount of the worm when exposed to the light has a shine to it. When the Robin sees bit of glint of the worm they go for it.

[@rudyferrell]

That's what I was thinking, that the worm has a tiny part of his head showing because it needs to breathe, and the birds have excellent eye sight and know what to look for. But I could be wrong.

[@dannydaw59]

That's at night with a flashlight correct? In the daytime everything is lit up by the sun.

[@ryngrd1]

The bird has a built in worm detection device. It senses worm vibes, like spidey sense tingling. You guys think birds dream of worms when asleep?

[@jinglebe11rainbow37]

Plausible

[@kiteblaster]

That's a good point. It could also be that birds can see in a different spectrum than we can - perhaps they can see infrared, and see a temperature difference between the worm and the soil.

[@jfphotography69]

My backyard American Robin is a worm whisperer. If no worms are answering his/her call I just toss him/her small bits of walnut, never says no to those.

[@paulbrungardt9823]

The Robin has you well trained.

[@MariaMartinez-researcher]

Chilean here. The local zorzal (Austral thrush) looks for worms by hearing. One can see them carefully walking around, cocking their heads, closer and closer to some point, and then, zap. One single thrust and the worm is lunch.

[@Paulo-pi8sn]

Pobrezito. No cena ni desayuno. 😄

[@rfd7245]

A couple of days ago I watched a sparrow pulling worms out of the ground in my backyard. It occurred to me that I had never seen worms in my backyard, only caterpillars and crickets. I was grateful for the sparrow taking care of my backyard this way but I couldn’t help thinking that this bird was finding these worms so easily.

[@frednorman1]

Worms are good for your soil

[@ericcameron281]

When I used to go out to pick up nightcrawlers as a kid I kept my eyes about three feet from the ground. A bird's eyes are about 3 inches from the ground. That probably helps. What direction from the sun do birds face while looking for worms? When I went out looking for worms I looked for light reflecting off the slime of the worm instead of looking for the warm itself because worms are the same color as the soil around them.

[@letuswalkinthelightofthelo5350]

You have a pleasant to listen to narrator’s voice.

[@michaelslater6839]

I remember when I was a kid and watching the Robins hopping around on our lawn. They would always cock their heads to the side before pulling a worm from the soil. The strange thing was that I just thought about this behavior yesterday while watching another bird feed on some seed we put out. Thanks for mentioning this about the Robins. Good video!😊

[@richardsb61]

The blackbirds in my garden definitely listen out for worms but when they are eating insects or other creepie-crawlies sight is definitely the main sensory method.

[@petriepretorius4085]

I live in South Africa and we have this "kuifkop houtkapper" as sort of woodpecker... I looked at him sitting on the washing line and he was scanning the lawn below, then he just landed and pulled out this worm... I was astonished and it made me wonder how they find something so quick, without walking around and looking at the grass, he just sat there, and went for it and got it immediately... Nature is so much more sophisticated and advanced than we tend to think...

[@jonstfrancis]

Herring gulls often stamp their feet rapidly on grass verges, lawns, fields to encourage worms to emerge which they then gobble up.

[@annelarrybrunelle3570]

When it comes to eating or not eating, critters learn stuff. Even us, sometimes.

[@kradius2169]

... Perhaps off topic, but, during the 2020 common cold lockdowns the thought of no food triggered survival mode for me, and then I learned about Nobel laureate Kary Mullis, the inventor of PCR. And work by others: >> Gary Null's "A Second Opinion" >> Brent Leung's "House of Numbers" So I managed to dodge the whackzine without consequence for now, and the food kept coming, though I see the WHO is in the process of brewing up a new & improved, sovereignty yielding, pandemic global treaty / accord, and I may be forced onto the Klaus Schwab bug diet at some future point, being denied access to money & groceries without the jab. Locusts & wild honey? More like worms. Make like a robin? Fun times ahead.

[@simplesimon755]

Here in South Texas I mostly see it happen whenever I mow the lawn. Grackles and Starlings are usually the ones following behind although sometimes also Mockingbirds. I presume it is due to the shorter grass and resulting effects of the ground vibrating under the mower.

[@stacase]

I'm just north of Milwaukee, and robins follow closely to the mower - as in a foot or two.

[@dantallman5345]

Same for me in MN except the birds are a bit more patient….50-100 ft margin. Robins, blackbirds, grackles and brown headed cowbirds.

[@seeseemun4528]

IMHO, I believe they feel the vibrations in their feet, legs. Amazing! Seen Robin's and Starlings grab a worm, and a few weeks ago a Northern Flicker, but I did not see this bird come away with anything.

[@bert-qu3iq]

Robins have built-in metal detectors in their beaks. If a worm has any loose change or keys in its pockets, it's a goner!

[@briandefrancisco2571]

I see Robin's scratch like a chicken . They use their feet to rake the leaves, knowing it's usually a jackpot tilting their head to get a good look see. probably a quantity and size check? It's so fun to watch it never gets old.

[@harryberry474]

I was hoping to find out how they do find worms alas just mostly speculation but interesting none the less.

[@kalon227]

My lifelong observation: it may well be that the early bird gets the worm but it’s the early worm that gets got.

[@mcg008]

Loved your research and narration

[@user-rc9ul9zh4h]

My theory is that worms tend to go the surface in the direction of the soil vibration, however tiny it might be. The birds hopping here and there cause those worms closer to the surface to stick their head out and meet their fate. When I finish mowing the lawn, worms do come out and robins usually have a feast. After a heavy rain, there is even a whole lot more worms out. Anyway, that's my observation-based theory and I'm standing by it.

[@tommunyon2874]

We watched robins catch worms under our lawn sprinkler. I was about 3 and asked my older neighbor if the bird was listening or looking when it cocked its head to the side. He said his teacher told him the robins were listening for the worms. This was back in the 1950s. Even now there still seems to be a bit of mystery about this behavior.

[@lifeisgood7762]

Very interesting and incredible to even think about the complexity involved... not only do they know how to locate worms, but they know they're WORTH plucking out of the ground for as food as well!

[@richardsimms251]

Excellent video

[@cherokeesfinestindian]

Aint god amazing how feeds the birds.

[@TheVersipelis]

I love this channel!!! I will be watching now.

[@stevenvitali7404]

They observe everything around them all the time in nature, unlike us who never really take the time to observe nature, as we think there are better things to do, distracting us from being part of our natural environment

[@dingodog5677]

You get good at things when you have the right tools and time.

[@Paulo-pi8sn]

And if you're hungry 😄

[@wmpx34]

Yeah, about 60 million years of evolution

[@scented-leafpelargonium3366]

Amazing! Great observation. I will never look at a bird in the same light again. 🐦 🤍

[@poladelarosa8399]

Muy interestante. ¡Gracias!

[@lostcause1206]

When I skim the pool, chameleons wait by the edge , waiting for the bugs and the leaves to be throw from the net ...

[@toughenupfluffy7294]

The early bird gets the worm, but the late bird gets pizza.

[@deepspire]

Since earthworms aren’t even native to most of North America, the Robin’s skill to find them developed very recently, in the last couple centuries.

[@istvansipos9940]

Blackbirds (Turdus Merula) collect crazy many. Yeah, that's my observation :- ) But speaking of (for me) more interesting patterns, the songs of the same species sound differently in Germany and in Hungary. probably the same phenomenon (a language/dialect type variation) we observed in whales.

[@dianestiner8602]

Yes wow the exact location 😮🤗 !. I saw that in Black Birds in my garden 😊.

[@intheshell35ify]

I love it. You saying we have no idea how they do it. I can get down with that.

[@JuniorFarquar]

I declare the robin to be one of the best hunters on the globe.

[@tracylee4442]

Totally unrelated note, but the robins also love the 17 year cicada emergence and love catching cicadas on the wing!

[@markwriter2698]

I was cutting a dead log and found beetle grubs by the dozen. As soon as I turned my back or took a break, birds flew down and gobbled them up. Birds also follow when I mow the yard and stay just behind me.

[@dailyreader506]

The Robins here in SW Ontario north of Lake Erie do a combination of head cocking and touching their wingtips lightly on the ground. They do it for grubs, earthworms and other bugs.

[@HogMan2022]

I watched a Robbin when I was in the first grade. He took a few steps, turned his head to the ground, and then pulled up a big worm. I'm sixty-two and have never forgotten it!

[@eltinjones4542]

I always believed that the patter of the birds feet, mimicked rain and this drew the worms to the surface??

[@susangreene9662]

Robins, and this explains a lot. Drove me crazy how they find their meals!

[@Zulu2020]

This is interesting I always thought the birds could just hear the worms crawl underground

[@loveeveryone8057]

Perhaps the beak it works like a divining rod it sends signals to the bird when it senses a worm. Lets face it, there is so much magic which surrounds us in this amazing place.

[@7080nik]

Last summer, I had a Robin always following me while I mowed the lawn. I figured I was stirring up bugs or worms.

[@KarlBunker]

An additional interesting point is that earthworms were absent from North America up until post-Columbian times. So at least for native North American birds that don't spend time in other continents, whatever worm-hunting techniques they use have been developed in just those few hundred years.

[@peatmoss4415]

Balogna

[@KarlBunker]

@@peatmoss4415 No, not bologna, _worms._ Make sure you've figured out the difference before you make a sandwich for anyone but yourself.

[@theislanderinme5227]

It's crazy how this showed up in my feed because this morning I witnessed a bird fly down on the ground and grab a worm, wondering how it found/saw it.

[@tylorengle7444]

My brother and I used robins to find night crawlers when we were kids and didn’t have any. It’s crazy how they can find them.

[@Boris29311]

I use to feed worms,which I bought for fishing,to a bird in my garden. I noticed the bird straightened the worm with it's beak before swallowing it whole😊

[@toter-drache]

I've noticed Robins in my yard, sometime walk for a few yards, stop and slowly touch the very tip of their tail to the ground followed by slowly touching their wing tips to the ground, they stand like that for 10-15 seconds or so, sometimes moving a few yards away, or sometimes only a few feet but facing a different direction, as if zeroing in on vibrations? Because many times watching them do it and when they stay within a small area, they do pull up a worm or dig a little for some other insect under the soil.

[@dork_3nergy]

Was out on a walk. A Robin was looking for worms, it looked up at me almost asking if it could cross my path. I stopped, it hurried over and nabbed a very large worm that was crawling towards the road. I didn't even notice the worm. But Robin got the meal and flew off.

[@censusgary]

What you call worm charming is a technique also referred to as worm fiddling or fiddling for worms. The rubbing a flat implement across a stake is rather like moving a bow across violin strings. I don’t know of any birds that fiddle for worms, though. I’ve seen birds pull worms from the ground, but I simply don’t know how the birds located the worms.

[@Hallands.]

Well, seagulls always charm worms to the surface on the fields or lawns whenever there's a puddle or pond. They traipse around the water’s edge, energetically stamping their feet quite fast but holding the body completely still - the head swiveling to look if anything pops up. I’m assuming worms, but have never been close enough to actually see what they pick up.

[@davesmith7993]

I remember learning in grade school an American robin can consume up to 4 meters or 14 ft. of earthworms a day as well as berries and insects to fuel the energy requirements of their hyper metabolism. Amazing back then and still today!

[@Momcat_maggiefelinefan]

The robins hunting for worms in my lawn seem to be both listening and looking. Head tilted, very focused, they’ll stalk the lawn, stop, then suddenly pull a juicy worm from the ground. Their concentration and changes in head position is more a listening over looking behaviour. As long as they’re feeding their kids … 🇨🇦🖖🏻🇨🇦

[@Mascotal]

I had a lot of grubs in my lawn this year and I saw wood peckers eating them. Just like a Robin.

[@Wubby805]

Anytime I move a container, pot or planter in my flower garden, there are scores of worms writhing about, none of the birds feast on them. They go straight to the birdfeeder.🤣🤣

[@Paulo-pi8sn]

They are vegan now. 😄

[@Wubby805]

@@Paulo-pi8sn 🤣😅

[@rick6429]

The birds in my yard grackles and Flickers are getting bugs and ants apparently, the Flickers dig deep as their beaks are usually covered in mud. I never see worms because they aren’t in the grass anymore.

[@augustwest8559]

The birds in my backyard seem to be watching me. One particular finch shows off his catch while hopping thru my woodshop.

[@gwiyomikim5988]

My parents only told me it was the early bird that gets the worm. I see now it’s much more complicated than that!

[@robertfindley921]

Every time I watch animals in the wild for a prolonged time, I am thoroughly impressed by how intelligent they are. E.g. squirrels jump from one trunk or tree to another while climbing to their nest. I assume this is to thwart predators tracking their sent.

[@JuniorFarquar]

Instinctual after eons.

[@rrrobinson97202]

seen crows acting the same way robins when hunting for worms.

[@Hardworkandrealestateprofits]

Interesting

[@rhyothemisprinceps1617]

Very interesting! I didn't know about Pacinian corpuscles. Re: worm detection by birds - any chance of electroreception being involved? Duck billed platypuses use it and IIRC they eat worms, among other things. I came across a review article on the use electroreception by bees for foraging - 'The bee, the flower, and the electric field: electric ecology and aerial electroreception'

[@rhyothemisprinceps1617]

Star nosed moles also use electroreception to find earthworms.

[@markdanielczyk944]

Had a Robin "use" me while mowing. He used the vibrations from the mower to get the worms. Getting hit with grass clippings didn't stop him!

[@user-nb5nm4ol8p]

I was watching a hoopoe in my garden from my window, that bird pull worms from the ground like magic

[@fcardini]

This question, specifically about the American Robin, has bugged me since I was around 5 and watching all the birds in my back yard. Were the robins detecting worms visually, or did the head cocking be a way to listen better. The situation is ambiguous as head cocking orients BOTH the eyes and ears, invariable both towards the worm that was then plucked out of the ground. I always favored vision, mainly because I could not believe a worm could make much noise. Now, trained as an experimental behavioral biologist, I would like to settle the question with an elegant experiment.

[@fcardini]

It pays to write down your thoughts. Following the above, I realized it must be visual. Consider owls, how they use TWO ears to measure, then eliminate, the slight difference in sound arrival time to precisely locate a prey animal in total darkness (in experiments). A robin turning a single ear towards a worm LOSES its ability to precisely locate the worm based on audition. But a single eye, in a species in which the eyes are on opposite sides of the head, is just what can precisely locate a worm.

[@rhyothemisprinceps1617]

Have you considered the possibility of electroreception? Duck billed platypuses are known to locate prey, which includes worms, with electroreception. But they are an obvious example since they have a visible organ dedicated to electroreception and are aquatic. Apparently, bees also use electroreception for foraging - discussed in a review article from 2017 by Clarke et al., 'The bee, the flower, and the electric field: electric ecology and aerial electroreception'. If bees can do it, why not birds?

[@fcardini]

@@rhyothemisprinceps1617 Electroreceptors are unknown in birds.

[@andypilotttt]

Other birds realize that robins have an extra sense. When they see a Robin start to dig they often try to steal the insect. If you watch the mom teach the young birds, you can see they struggle to learn how to use the extra sense

[@rhyothemisprinceps1617]

@@fcardini20 years ago you could have said the same thing about bees. Found another one - star nosed moles use electroreception to find earthworms.

[@joelaichner3025]

Killdeer , nest on the ground , nests made from stones , approach the nest , they pretend to have a broken wing to lure you away from it , Sly !

[@Don.Challenger]

During light rain and after any rain usually in the morning or evening on the road way or allowance, curb or sidewalk or your own driveway note those sad stranded worms and soon robins and some other insect eaters will wing by for some faster easy seen food.

[@orangebeagle3068]

Funny enough, I was thinking about those stranded worms on pavement and how I never see any birds pick them up!

[@ronaldkemp3952]

When I was a kid, about 8 years old I noticed a robin stomping on the ground repeatably over and over and worms would come to the surface. It ate it's full and then flew away. One day dad was going to take me fishing and I had the task of looking for worms. I remembered watching the bird stomp on the ground, so I took 2 small long flexible sticks and began beating on the dirt like a drum at a rapid pace and sure enough, worms were popping up all over the place. Apparently it's the sound that rain makes when it strikes the ground. The worms must think it's raining, so maybe I thought they come to the surface to keep from drowning. Anyways, after that I never had a problem finding worms to go fishing with dad. Try it yourself, I'm not joking.

[@AlbertaGeek]

Alternative video title: *How do Modern-Day Therapod Dinosaurs Detect their Prey?*

[@andypilotttt]

Robins clearly have an extra sense to find worms. Other birds using sight will throw leaves and debris looking for insects. If a Robin throws dibrie, there is always an insect, they know where the insect is before looking. One obvious example is watching mom teach the young birds. They take quite a bit of time to learn how to use the extra sense they have.

[@peatmoss4415]

Debris not dibrie , that's funny.They don't have any other senses but the normal ones.

[@nathangardner3229]

I often wonder the same!?! I feed my birds everyday and often wonder how they know were they are it’s a puzzling enigma!?!🤔

[@georgeanngash9896]

Robin pulled worm from grass. Wow

[@harry130747]

Our blackbirds go scratting like a chicken among leaf debris looking for all sorts of insects etc.

[@MayaEmmerShamallah]

I think they have a sixth sense. See robins pick them out all the time and was wondering and led to this video. Perhaps they are already at the surface from constant chirping that works as the metal and wood example to lure them near the surface and the rest is unexplainable of how they still aren’t visible and get picked out.

[@robertlosasso4222]

They have x ray vision, no worm can hide from them .

[@MartinMMeiss-mj6li]

Have we humans created listening systems sensitive enough to pick up and record or play back the sounds that earthworms make down in their tunnels?

[@singagency1481]

Worm grunting... I learned that a lot from watching Dune and Tremors

[@jamescrydeman540]

Have you not observed the birds standing there cocking their heads from side to side,listening and getting their aim right?

[@richdorak1547]

I have the same Robin coming to the same small area of my yard almost daily . Must be one of His hunting grounds . Gets 2 or 3 worms every time . I think they remember good areas to hunt . N.J.

[@RoccosVideos]

From what I’ve heard they’re early to catch the worm.

[@alanstrong55]

I tried putting flattened out coathangers in the ground and attaching electric wires from a cord. I put em about 2 feet apart and plugged em into an outlet. Only got small worms. 😮😮

[@siennavanlife9502]

Raise your hand if you're gonna try 'worm charming' now lol

[@mebeingU2]

Related topic. Why do I see little sparrows doing their best to have about 18 inches over my lawn, over and over. Are they catching and eating flying insects?

[@stevenvitali7404]

The American Robin looks the same shape and size of our thrushes and blackbirds here in England, the only difference is the colour, totally different to our Robins

[@Christinschrader-hd4io]

Yup in Michigan after rain they would be in the road

[@sjain8111]

catbirds will wait while i dig my garden, knowing worms will be turned up with the earth (visual)

[@samuelbrainsample]

I wish they’d find all of the ones on the sidewalk after a rainstorm.

[@willswalkingwest7267]

We try to make sense of this behavior based on our own senses. We have no clue really, of what a bird hears. We can look at thevparts of bird ears, bones, etc. Then make hypothesis. But we cannot really know how sounds are processed in their little brains. It's probably not as complicated as we think. Maybe they hear them. I think it's more likely, they are closer to the ground than we are, they see the grains of earth moving and have a go at that spot and get a worm. It'd be interesting to collect data on how many times they poke at the ground and DON'T get a meal. That would be telling.

[@happyhippo4664]

I am an American Robin. That is what my mama named me. I usually use a flashlight at night to get worms but haven't done so in decades. Don't really care to eat worms.😀

[@therealjamespickering]

I believe the most important thing is that they have to be there early.

[@bcrogers57]

I just observed two flickers stabbing their beaks into the ground repeatedly. Didn’t see the succeeding but I’m guessing it was worms or grubs they were after.

[@orangebeagle3068]

There’s a flicker in my neighborhood that won’t shut up right now haha. Tee-tee-tee-tee-tee-tee-tee-tee-tee-tee-tee-tee all day long!

[@funtastic79]

Most birds in Holland stamp there feet on the ground for a minute and then they come up

[@RichWatson-tv3xq]

Birds find worms cause they start early 😂😂

[@bobaldo2339]

Birds find worms to be rather tasty.

[@crackerbarrel6965]

So in the end is that we still don’t know. Another mystery of nature that I think is best just left that way.

[@joelaichner3025]

To feed their young

[@1337fraggzb00N]

They can attract the Shai-Hulud without a thumper.