Bird Walk #2
Despite the fact that it is still winter, today was very warm and sunny (in the forties). Because of this, we saw different birds exhibiting different winter and spring behaviors.
In terms of winter behavior, the cedar waxwings we saw were flocked together in one tree. This may be advantageous for cooperative feeding and foraging, and explains why they still may be flocking together. The rock pigeons also appeared to be relatively calm together and did not exhibit any agonistic behavior; that kind of behavior would indicate the beginning of finding territories and mates. In the house sparrows and european starlings we noticed much more territorial behavior, as it appeared they were seeking out urban spots for nests on top of telephone wires and in chimneys. They were also more likely to be found alone, chasing around other males, and singing more frequently. This indicates spring behavior, as they prepare for the breeding season by establishing territory and making themselves known to other males and females in the area. In terms of budgeting their time, they seemed more active, engaging in agonistic behavior and searching for food. This is indicative of spring behavior, as in winter it would be more likely that they would conserve their energy.
In observing the snags in the area, I noticed that the larger trees had many smaller holes, while the smaller trees had more large holes and cavities. This could be due to the accessibility of insects and cover in these snags. I noticed that the white-breasted nuthatches and downy woodpeckers were most interested in the snags. They stayed in the same general area for longer periods at a time, searching and pecking on the snags for insects. One of the downy woodpeckers even chased a white-breasted nuthatch away from a snag at one point.
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