Some birds follow moving swarms of army ants in the tropics. As the ants march along the forest floor hunting insects and small vertebrates, birds follow and pick off any insects or small vertebrates that fly or jump out of the way of the ants. This situation is an example of what kind of species interaction between the birds and the ants?
A) cooperation
B) consumption
C) commensalism
D) parasitism
E) mutualism

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This situation exemplifies commensalism, where one species (the birds) benefits from the relationship by getting food, while the other species (the ants) is neither helped nor harmed.

Some Birds Follow Moving Swarms of Army Ants in the Tropics