Sweet treats give migrating songbirds an energy boost when they need it most. In recent years, books promoting diets low in carbohydrates have soared to the top of best-seller lists. Fortunately, birds are functionally illiterate, so they haven't jumped on the bandwagon. Hawks and owls, of course, are on a fairly strict "Atkins diet" without even knowing it, as are many flycatchers, at least during the breeding season. But most songbirds sneak in at least a few carbohydrates here and there, and some, such as the Eastern Kingbird, switch to a very high-carb frugivorous diet while they are on their tropical wintering grounds.
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