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Do Birds Eat Snails & Slugs? (Read This First!)

Can birds eat snails and slugs? You might think this is an odd question, but it’s an interesting one for nature lovers. Many bird species consume these small creatures because they provide them with essential nutrients and minerals. 

For more information about this topic, please continue reading.

Do birds eat snails & slugs?

The birds eat snails and slugs occasionally, but this is not a regular part of their diet. Slugs and snails are not considered good sources of nutrition for most birds due to their high toxicity levels. Some birds, such as the American Goldfinch, will scavenge for meat from these animals.

Let’s talk about few sorts of snails and slugs to know whether birds can eat them – 

Snails:

Small creatures such as these can be used to make a tasty dish for many birds. Many recipes include snails as they are a good source of nutrition. Here are some snails that birds can eat and information about them.

Snail eggs:

Since snail eggs are toxic to animals and humans, most birds do not eat them. While some bird species will eat snail eggs, the majority will avoid the eggs entirely.

Snail pellets:

You can feed snail pellets to birds. It is a great way to provide the bird with food and alleviate the painful tolerance it might experience as a result of droughts or other factors. 

Pond snails:

Pond snails provide great food for a variety of bird species. They are easily digestible and offer a variety of nutrients that your bird may benefit from. Birds can eat pond snails such as the Common Garden Snail, the American Snail, and the European Pond Snail.

Water snails:

The majority of bird species do not eat water snails. The snails possess high levels of toxins, and they are innutritious.

Sea snails:

Sea snails provide a great source of food for many bird species. They are rich in calcium and other nutrients that can benefit your pet bird. Birds can eat a variety of sea snails, including the European Savigny’s snail, the Australian Bog Snail, and the Hardy’s Snail. 

Slugs:

Many birds eat slugs as a source of food. Birds can easily digest them, and they offer a variety of helpful nutrients. Let’s look at some common slugs used as bird food.

Slug eggs:

Some species of birds can eat slug eggs. Slug eggs are an important food source for several bird species. A variety of nutrients are available in it that can be beneficial to your bird. It can be easily digested.

Slug pellets:

Some species of birds can consume slug pellets. Providing your bird with slug pellets is a great way to provide it with food. Droughts or other external factors can cause your bird to mourn.

Large slugs:

Most birds do not eat large slugs. They contain toxins and are of little nutritional value.

Do any birds eat snails and slugs?

There are hundreds of types of birds out there, each having a different food preference. Not all birds are fond of snails and slugs. These are some birds and their food snails and slugs.

Butcher birds:

Butcherbirds are good at eating snails and slugs. It only takes a specific type of food to break them down and digest them. They have a special component in their guts that can break down proteins. 

Therefore, they are very difficult for animals such as fish, salamanders, nematodes, etc. to live on them.

Black birds:

Blackbirds can consume snails and slugs. They have a strong beak that can crush snails and slug shells easily.

Baby birds:

Baby birds have been found to consume slugs and snails. They have powerful beaks that allow them to crack open the shells of these creatures. In every case, they find the energy and nutrients in snails difficult to digest.

Wild birds:

Wild birds can eat snails and slugs. Sparrows, jays, and crows are good examples of these types of birds. However, most birds that are hunted and caught for food will not tolerate any snails or slugs in their diet.

Garden birds:

Garden birds do eat snails and slugs. As these kinds of birds are usually very clean, eating some snails or slugs in their food won’t be a problem. But it is always advisable to exercise caution as some garden birds may eat harmful insects that can transmit diseases to humans.

Do crows eat snails?

Some people think that crows eat only meat and will not eat anything else. But now is the time to know that birds need food every day. Also, do birds eat insects regularly? Crows are good at eating snails. This fits in well with their diet.

Crows have been observed eating slugs and snails in the past as part of their diet. They usually snatch these creatures from the surface of water or soil, where they dwell for food. 

But crows do not commonly practice this as other kinds of birds are more popular in their diet selection than snails and slugs.

5 reasons why birds eat snails and slugs

Snails are a source of food for birds. The following are five reasons why birds can eat snails and slugs.

It is an easily available food item:

Birds are often observed flying from one place to another, making it difficult for them to find food when they’re flying. Thus, snails and slugs can be easily consumed by birds due to their activity, such as crawling over or near plants where a lot of tiny insects may be present.

Birds find it easy to target:

The fact that snails and slugs have no basic defense system against animals that hunt them makes them easier prey for birds.

Digestion-friendly:

Some birds may eat the food that is closest to them or can be consumed easily unlike other types of food. A bird may require more time to digest these foods before they are digested. Fruits and nuts, for example, are often avoided by crows because they contain too much energy.

Using bird droppings as identification:

Bird droppings left on the ground often have markings or features that can be used to identify the type of bird. Birds might be more likely to consume snails and slugs if they happen to see one while in their habitat because they lack such distinguishing marks.

good for their health:

Snails and slugs are good for our health since they’re high in protein. They also contain many important vitamins and minerals that are very healthy for birds.

How do birds eat snails?

A few birds, such as the kiwi, eat snails whole. Other birds, such as the crow, peck at snails until they pass away. Despite this, some birds, including the gull, simply swallow the snail whole. Snails are eaten by birds by picking them up and swallowing them whole

The crow, for example, picks at the snail until it expires. Gulls, on the other hand, swallow the snail in its entirety.

What kind of bird eats snails?

Birds have different types of food habits. These are some birds that eat snails.

Kiwis:

Kiwis are the only bird that eats snails whole. Kiwis prefer to live in rainforests and eat meat remnants, fruits, and fungi found near trees, where they obtain their food. Kiwis depend on snails as a source of proteins, vitamins, and minerals in their daily lives.

Crow:

Crows seem to have a habit of eating snails since most foods that crows don’t like contain high levels of toxins that can harm them. Using their bill, feet, and beak, they scrape the snail off of the ground or rock and swallow it whole.

Gull:

Gulls are scavengers, which means they eat almost anything that comes their way. Their main diet consists of insect larvae, carrion (expired animals), small vertebrates such as snakes and lizards, crustaceans, and fish bait left on the waterfront. 

They eat snails if they find them, but they make up a small part of their diet.

Starlings:

Starlings are omnivorous birds that mostly eat grass seeds and grains. Snails and slugs have also been known to feed on them.

Bluebirds:

Bluebirds eat mostly insects, seeds, and berries. Snails are a small part of the bird’s diet, but if they come across them they will eat them.

Vultures:

Vultures are scavengers and will leave snails alone unless they’re too dirty. Vultures normally only consume clumps of dirt to extract nutrients before discarding the rest.

Final Thoughts

Birds such as crows eat slugs and snails as part of their normal diet, whereas others, such as gulls, may scavenge them. Some birds may also eat these insects as a snack. In the end, it is up to each bird to decide whether or not to eat snails and slugs.