What characteristic sets the Willow Warbler's diet apart from adaptable songbirds like Tits?
Answer
Tits readily switch to seeds and nuts when insects are scarce
A key contrast exists in dietary flexibility. While both birds consume insects, tits (like the Blue Tit) are highly adaptable and readily supplement their diet with seeds and nuts, especially when insect supplies diminish, such as during winter months. The Willow Warbler, conversely, is characterized by its strict dependence on living arthropods for sustenance, showing less flexibility when the insect supply dwindles, making its survival more vulnerable to local invertebrate scarcity.

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