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Daily Bucket – Disputes at my Oregon Bird feeders, a Friday sequence [1]
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Date: 2023-02-03
An American Robin challenges a Downy Woodpecker at the suet feeder
Among the many pleasures of observing birds at backyard feeders is seeing interactions between species. Birds get territorial over their fast food supplies – and not only hummingbirds defending a nectar feeder.
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We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
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I have seen a number of interactions, like the male American Robin above warning off a female Downy Woodpecker at the suet feeder during a March snow flurry in Central Oregon.
Or, in my Willamette Valley yard, the chattering dispute between a Chestnut-backed Chickadee, who though it had first dibs at the suet, and a Townsend's Warbler. A Dark-eyed Junco who had been pecking suet on the other side decided it was best to leave them to it.
A Townsend’s Warbler argues with a Chestnut-backed Chickadee over suet, while a Dark-eyed Junco departs
They eventually sorted it out; the Townsend’s Warbler decamped to the far side of the suet feeder, now that the junco had left.
The most amazing feeder dispute I witnessed occurred between two species of grosbeak at my feeders in the Willamette Valley.
It was spring, and a pair of Black-Headed Grosbeaks had set up housekeeping in a stand of oak trees around my yard. They regularly came to dine in my seed tray, which was part of their territory.
The male Black-headed Grosbeak claims the sunflower seed tray as part of the pair’s territory.
But then a flock of migrating Evening Grosbeaks swept into the neighborhood and descended on the sunflower seeds.
A migrating flock of Evening Grosbeaks — here all female — takes over the seed feeder.
Well, Mrs. Black-headed wasn’t going to put up with that! The interlopers had to go!
The female Black-headed Grosbeak is incensed over the Evening Grosbeak invasion.
So she moved in.
The female Black-headed moves in. Two Evening Grosbeaks and a Pine Siskin are in her feeder.
Then she landed on the seed tray and started hissing at the interlopers. It was a really loud hiss. The Evenings at first tried confrontation.
The female Black-headed hisses, and the female Evening answers back.
But Mrs. Black-headed wasn’t giving up. She kept hissing.
But she isn’t giving up, and keeps up the loud hissing at the Evenings. The Pine Siskin leaves.
And hissing. One Evening gone.
It is working! The male Evening Grosbeak couldn’t stand it any longer and left, while a Western Tanager drops by to see what the fuss is about.
The dedicated hissing worked. The final Evening Grosbeak departed. The sunflower seeds were hers again. At least for the moment.
She won; the sunflower seeds are the Black-headed pair’s once more. At least for now.
Female Black-headed Grosbeaks must generally have a lot of attitude. One summer in Central Oregon I caught another female Black-headed chewing out her mate over something. The male Black-headed sure looked contrite!
A female Black-headed Grosbeak fusses at her mate, who seems sorry for whatever it is he’s done.
You just never know what you might note in nature if you keep watching!
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