Possums can be cute to one person and terrifying to the next. Are they terrifying to birds? Do possums eat birds?
Yes, possums eat birds. Although possums mainly eat plants they will occasionally raid a birds nest to feed on chicks and sometimes eggs. These animals also prey on birds living in the forest, like kiwis. These birds defend themselves by standing still, flying in flocks camouflaging themselves or by flying away.
Do not confuse possums with skunks. Both are nocturnal omnivores feeding on a large variety of foods but possums are marsupials while skunks are not. Also, skunks tend to produce a stinking odour to scare away predators.
In this guide, we’ll look at some of the foods that possums eat, including birds. Keep reading to learn more about the possum’s diet.
Table of Contents
Do possums eat birds?
Yes, possums eat birds. Possums are nocturnal omnivores that feed on a variety of foods, including nuts, fruits, berries, grains, and insects. They also eat slugs, spiders, frogs, and some snake species making them fit to survive in any environment with shrubs and trees.
While possums mostly feed on plants, they can also prey on birds like kererū, kōkako, and chickens. If you rear chickens near a forest, you should be more concerned about their safety. Otherwise, possums might prey on the chickens.
In most cases, possums tend to eat chicks instead of full-grown birds. Chicks are easier to prey on and can’t fight back as hard. When a possum kills an adult bird, they usually eat right after the kill and leave the body where it is instead of carrying it away. A possum will kill a bird by biting its necks.
Bird meat is an excellent source of protein. The meat is also rich in nutrients such as vitamins, zinc, iodine, iron, and essential fatty acids. All these nutrients help keep the possum healthy and active.
A possum won’t eat an entire bird. They will generally eat the inside of the bird and the chest. They may also eat the birds’ head and liver. Sometimes the opossum won’t even do that, it may drink blood and leave the meat.
How to protect your chickens from possums
Possums usually prey on birds at night. You shouldn’t leave dog or cat food outside at night as this attracts predators.
Here are the other ways to keep your bird flock safe:
- Close all the coops’ entrances at night
- Fence the yard using a sturdy wire mesh to keep the predators away
- Install an electric fence or motion-sensor lighting around the yard
Do possums eat eggs?
Yes, possums eat eggs. Possums are opportunistic feeders, they steal and eat eggs. In one of the study, possums were filmed preying on kokako eggs. The researchers also recorded instances where possums threatened adult birds and ate their eggs at night. However, scientists see this egg-eating habit as a new predatory behaviour.
In most cases, possums eat the eggs of birds such as kererū, kōkako, and kiwi. Although the predators can indeed consume hen’s eggs, they rarely eat them.
What else do possums eat?
Other than birds, possums eat a wide variety of foods, including nuts, fruits, vegetables, and insects. Possums also prey on rodents, snails, slugs, and cockroaches. They help humans to keep such pests under control.
A possums’ diets tend to vary depending on the season and the environment they inhabit. When in human habits, the animal will most likely prey on pet food and garbage. They will also prey on poultry domesticated in homes.
During spring and winter, possums living in densely populated areas tend to eat small mammals, both dead and alive. During the summer, the predators tend to feed mainly on slugs. However, during the fall, their main foods are usually fruits and vegetables.
Since possums feed on almost everything, including road-kill, they can survive throughout the year. They don’t need to hibernate during extreme conditions, such as winter. Their bodies are small to store enough fats for the winter.
Here are some articles looking at if possums eat squirrels and kittens. Click the links to find out more.
How do birds defend themselves against possums?
Most birds tend to hide to avoid predators, but some birds are ready to fight back. If they choose to hide, the birds can camouflage in various types of covers, such as grasses and bushes.
If there’s no cover, the birds can protect themselves by standing still. Possums may miss them if the birds are standing still.
In addition, a good number of birds fly in flocks to defend themselves from predators like possums. When the birds move in flocks, there are many ears and eyes to keep the group alert of any danger. They can also band together to scare any predator.
If the birds can’t hide or fight back they can fly away to a safer destination.
Conclusion
Possums definitely can and do prey on birds and eggs. They are gentle creatures that rarely attack people or other animals unless confronted. In most cases, the possum will play dead when it senses danger. However, it can also attack back to defend itself.
Possums can and do eat birds and eggs. These creatures will climb over a fence to steal chickens if they have to. Thus you need to be more careful if you own a poultry farm. The good news is that possums can help to control pests naturally.
You likely won’t see possums out and about because they sleep during the day. This article looks at where they go during the day
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