How Wading Birds Find Food In Mud
By: EjazUlHaqBhat
Image: Pexels
Wading birds find food in mud and water using a combination of sensory perception and specialised beak adaptations
Image: Pexels
They primarily use their sense of touch and pressure to locate prey, often probing the mud with their bills in a "stitching" motion
Image: Pexels
Additionally, they rely on specialised beak shapes and sizes to efficiently extract prey from the mud
Image: Pexels
Wading birds possess tiny sensory receptors called Herbst corpuscles in their bills and feet, which are highly sensitive to pressure waves
Image: Pexels
These corpuscles help them detect prey like worms, crustaceans, and insects hidden within the mud or sand
Image: Pexels
Some wading birds taste the mud with each probe to confirm the presence of prey
Image: Pexels
Birds like ibises use their sensitive, curved bills to probe and grab prey from the mud, grass, and sand
Image: Pexels
Long legs also help wading birds maintain stability and keep their bodies dry while wading into shallow water
Image: Pexels
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