15 Amazing Facts About 15 Birds

Anna Green
A common raven looking pretty pleased with itself.
A common raven looking pretty pleased with itself. / Andreas Saatze-Stein/500px/Getty Images
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3. Cardinals like to cover themselves in ants.

A male northern cardinal on a twig.
A male northern cardinal on a twig. / Elizabeth W. Kearley/Moment/Getty Images

Cardinals (along with several other bird species) sometimes cover themselves in crushed or living ants, smearing them over their feathers, or allowing living ants to crawl on them. While scientists still aren’t sure what the purpose of “anting” is, some believe the birds use the formic acid secreted during their ant bath to help get rid of lice and other parasites.

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