Bears are omnivores and eat a wide variety of things in the wild, including small mammals, insects, fruits, and vegetables.
But do they really eat birds, which birds do they eat, and how often do they eat birds?
In this article, we will discuss why bears eat birds and some of the different types of birds that they prey on.
Do Bears Eat Birds?
Bears eat both birds and their eggs. Both are high in protein, which bears need to build up their muscle mass.
In the wild, bears typically hunt for ground-dwelling birds such as ptarmigans, grouse, and turkeys. However, they will prey on songbirds and waterfowl if they can get to them.
Bears are great climbers, especially black bears and sun bears. A black bear can scale a tree in seconds.
When it comes to scavenging, bears are known to feed on dead birds they find on the ground.
It’s important to note, that most bears mostly feed on plants. Birds do not make up a significant part of their diet.
Studies were done on bears living in Scandinavia mostly prey on birds in the summer and fall.[1][2]
Do Bears Eat Dead Birds?
Bears are scavengers, and they do feed on carrion meat, including birds. Carrion-eating means to feed on dead animals’ carcasses.
Bears consume both whole birds as well as the scavenged remains of dead ones.
Do Bears Eat Bird Eggs?
Bears are opportunistic feeders. They won’t pass up a chance to eat something that’s easily available and nutritious. Bird eggs fit that description perfectly.
Birds lay between 1 and 12 eggs, which bears will steal right out of the nest. Both grizzly, black, and polar bears show this behavior.[3]
Bears love to feast on the protein-rich eggs of birds. And there’s no evidence that they experience any ill effects from doing so. In fact, for bears, eating bird eggs is a healthy and satisfying way to get their daily dose of protein.
Related: Are Bears Omnivores, Carnivores, or Herbivores?
How Do Bears Catch Birds?
Bears have very good vision and can spot prey from a long distance. They also have an excellent sense of smell, which allows them to track down prey even when it’s hidden.
Once the bear is close enough to its prey, it will leap out and grab the bird in its mouth. They also use their paws to knock out their prey.
As birds can fly, bears are not always successful when preying on them. Hence, bears tend to feed more on other animals, such as small mammals, rodents, and ungulates.
What Bears Eat Birds?
Do Black Bears Eat Birds?
They also utilize their climbing abilities to gain access to bird eggs.
These predators are opportunistic feeders and will take advantage of whatever food is available to them. Birds and their eggs are a valuable source of protein for these animals.
Related: Can bears climb trees?
Do Grizzly Bears Eat Birds?
These large bears eat a variety of animals, including fish, insects, and other small creatures.
While grizzly bears do eat birds, birds don’t make up a large portion of their diet. They’ll typically only feed on birds if they’re easily available, as it’s easier to catch other prey.
Do Polar Bears Eat Birds?
Polar bears are the only bears that don’t eat plants. They mostly feed on meat from bearded and ringed seals.
As climate change affects their habitat, fewer and fewer seals are available to them. Hence, they resort to eating birds more often.
One study shows how 90% of all bird nests in a specific area on Greenland were preyed upon by polar bears.[5]
Polar bears will also feed on bird eggs.[6]
Conclusion
Bears do eat birds, as well as their eggs. Birds are a high-protein food source that bears need in order to survive and thrive. Bears will either hunt live birds, scavenge on dead birds, or eat bird eggs by raiding their nests.
Most bears feed on birds, though different bears feed on different species, depending on where they live.
