Bird Feeders Invite Aggressive Newcomers

[Still Waters]

Backyard bird feeders may ruffle some feathers, attracting aggressive breeds like house sparrows and doves while discouraging native species that eat insects and nectar, researchers said Monday.

The experiment described in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US journal, set out to study how putting out seeds and bread may influence what kinds of birds inhabit certain areas, and if the hobby alters the birds' natural balance.

http://news.discover...eeds-150504.htm

[Big Jim]

So giving out free food attracts the most aggressive members of avian society? It also causes native species to avoid the area? Removing the handouts promotes diversity by making equal opportunity for all? What can we extrapolate from this that might also apply to humans? If we can use rats to study human anatomy why not use birds to study human behavior? Many folk lore adages alluding to birds have been used to describe human behavior over the years. "Birds of a feather flock together" "The early bird gets the worm" "Strutting like a peacock", etc. So the idea of applying observations of bird behavior to humans may not be so far fetched after all.

I feed birds regularly. I would not have described sparrows and doves as the aggressive species. I have plenty of them but around here the most aggressive seem to be starlings and grackles. Naturally, seed eating birds flock to the feeders while insect eaters avoid them. But my yard is full of robins, happily catching bugs and worms. The study doesn't mention that. I also notice an increase from year to year of desirable native species such as finches and woodpeckers.

[DefenceMinisterMishkin]

Someone has to much free time..

[KariW]

We have a couple of birdfeeders sitting just outside our living room window, so we can set on the couch and enjoy bird watching! Personally, I find that watching wildlife is a great way to relieve stress and just unwind and relax. In fact my husband just set up a new hummingbird feeder yesterday! Since the first of the year, we have seen over 20 different species of birds visit our feeders, Including cardinals, cedar waxwings, painted buntings, nuthatches, Flickers, woodpeckers, & Tufted Titmice. Haven't seen to many finches, other than a mated pair of Purple finches that just recently showed up. We also have a small population of blue jays in the area, but have yet to see one at our feeders. I'll try to post some pics a little later.

[KariW]

The following pics were actually taken through our living room window, so the clarity isn't the best.

[KariW]

And just a couple more visitors to our feeders.

[Thorvir]

Those are great pictures. I should start taking my own pictures here of birds.

I have a couple feeders up, to be nice and feed the birds, and to give something for the cats to watch out the window.

[KariW]

Those are great pictures. I should start taking my own pictures here of birds.

I have a couple feeders up, to be nice and feed the birds, and to give something for the cats to watch out the window.

Would love to see some of your pics, Thorvir! Please do!!

Edited May 6, 2015 by KariW

[Thorvir]

Would love to see some of your pics, Thorvir! Please do!!

I'll try, but I only have my camera phone. And the feeder is right next to the window, so to get close, I have to be careful and quiet or they'll fly off.

[+Hammerclaw]

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