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American Redstart vs Planthopper
The struggle to survive isn’t always a fair fight.
Jump Scare
A redstart fans its wings and tail to expose Halloween-colored feathers. The sudden flash of color startles insects and flushes them out of hiding.
Tweezer Beak
A sharp beak helps the hungry bird pluck insects from leaves while netlike whiskers funnel flying bugs into its mouth.
Pop and Hop
When spooked, a planthopper makes an explosive hop, rocketing out of reach from snapping bird beaks.
Leaf Lookalike
The leaflike veins and green color of a planthopper’s wings make the sneaky bug all but invisible as it crawls along a leaf.
And the winner is…
The agile redstart hops quickly from branch to branch, flicking its flashy feathers to flush planthoppers from hiding. Some of the bugs pop off to safety. But many end up in the bird’s belly.
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Credit
David Besenger
Right to Use
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