08/10/2025
DID YOU KNOW THAT CROWS LOOK FOR ANTS WHEN THEY ARE SICK?
It may sound strange at first glance, but it's true: realizing they're sick or annoyed by parasites, crows have a surprising instinctive behavior — they approach the ants, land there for a while, spread their wings, and stay still, allowing the ants to climb all over the place. body, especially between the feathers.
This curious ritual has a vital function. Ants release formic acid, a natural substance with antimicrobial and antiparasitic effect. When being "invaded" by ants, the crow receives a type of natural treatment, almost like a therapeutic bath, that fights fungi, bacteria and parasites that mainly affect its skin and feathers.
This phenomenon is known in science as "anting," and it doesn't just happen to crows. Many birds use this strategy as a form of self-medication - a true example of how animals can use the natural resources around them to stay healthy, without any human intervention.
It's a beautiful reminder that nature functions as a living pharmacy, filled with solutions that living beings themselves know how to access. The instinct behind this behavior shows not only intelligence, but also the species' incredible ability to adapt to the environment they live in.
