Antbird

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/antbird

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Family Thamnophilidae
2. What is the habitat?Tropical and subtropical forests, woodlands, and savannas throughout the Neotropics
3. What are antbirds and what do they look like?Antbirds are small birds that live in tropical forests. They have strong legs, a hooked bill, and many species have bright colors, especially males.
4. Why do antbirds follow army ants?They follow army ants because the ants flush out insects that the birds can eat. Some antbirds rely almost entirely on these ant swarms for food.

Neotropics: A biogeographical realm encompassing Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, known for its high biodiversity.
Adaptive Radiation: The diversification of a group of organisms into forms filling different ecological niches.
Sexual Dimorphism: Distinct differences in size or appearance between the sexes of an animal.
Obligate Ant-Following: A foraging behavior where a species is dependent on army ants for survival.