Purdue News

May 10, 2004

Brood X is for the birds, says Purdue scientist

The upcoming emergence of trillions of periodical cicadas is good news for wildlife, says Purdue University wildlife biologist Harmon Weeks.

Weeks studies songbird populations throughout Indiana and said the cicadas will provide birds and other wildlife with an ideal supplemental food source. He expects this to benefit songbirds by allowing them to produce more young and provide them with better food.

In addition, he suggests animals that normally feed on songbird eggs, such as squirrels, jays or raccoons, will likely switch their diets in response to the Brood X emergence and consume cicadas almost exclusively. The cicada emergence is expected to occur at approximately the same time many songbirds are laying eggs or raising young, and Weeks said this will remove significant predation pressure from many species.

To speak with Weeks, please contact Jennifer Cutraro, Purdue Department of Agricultural Communications, (765) 496-2050, jcutraro@purdue.edu.