How to Eat a Katydid

In January, I was lucky enough to tag along on a birdwatching tour to Trinidad and Tobago, an island nation off the coast of Venezuela. I went with a group lead by guides Alvaro Jaramillo, of Alvaro's Adventures, and Jay Carlisle from the Idaho Bird Observatory as part of a special fundraising tour for IBO.

Of course I had many great adventures on this trip, but one of my favorite experiences was watching an Ochre-lored Flatbill (Tolmomyias flaviventris, formerly the Yellow-breasted Flycatcher) capture and eat a large katydid. The experience was particularly special since Ochre-lored Flatbill had become my 1,000th life bird just a few days earlier!  And as a brand-new DSLR owner, it was also a great opportunity to practice using my new camera. (As you can see, some images turned out better than others)

Here's what I learned about how to eat a katydid:

Step 1: Search the vegetation carefully for a leaf with legs and a face.

  Step 2: Seize your unsuspecting victim and return to a prominent perch with your prize. Stand there triumphantly. (Shouting "Ta-da!" at this point is optional)

Step 3: Bludgeon the arthropod to death on a sturdy branch.

 Step 4: Continue beating until prey is thoroughly pulverized. Tenderness is key for step 5.

 You will know your meal is ready when a few guts squish out.

Step 5: Swallow. This step may take a few tries. Don't be afraid to cough it back up if the legs don't go down right the first time.

Step 6: Return to your hunting perch to preen and digest

Step 7: Plot your next attack

- Heidi Ware