Cold weather affecting bird behaviour

[nigel_b]

Is it me or is the cold weather affecting the bird behaviour?

On a short walk on Studland heath earlier in the week I just fell over birds, e.g. two goldcrests and no fewer than three Dartford warblers in a couple of hundred yards.


While stood outside a building one evening talking to someone a pied wagtail came within about 12" of us walking along the ground. It totally ignored us, presumably its desire for food was stronger than its fear for us.

Yesterday the BoP were out in force as I described in my peregrine, hen harrier and merlin thread.

Is the cold weather changing their behaviour so significantly and if so are they always like this in cold climates such as Iceland and Sweden?

[Lindsay-c]

I know what you mean, I was walking along a path right next to a line of bushes yesterday and a thrush jumped out infront of me and I nearly stepped on it...
didn't even bother to fly away. Thought that was quite strange but I thought at the time maybe that particular bush was it's territory and was upset by my presence but if you've noticed other birds doing the same then perhaps there was more to it...

[Acipiter]

Probably depends on what species, and how hungry they are, the local pheasants ran like hell when they saw me yesterday, but then maybe they thought I had a gun.

[Adam Cheeseman]

The cold weather will make certain food supplies inaccessible or non existant meaning birds will have to forage harder to find food. This means that they will need to be less cautious about being hunted themselves with restricted fod supplies and daylight hours and accordingly can become quite approachable and more obvious. In addition, bird populations are swelled in winter by continental birds increasing our resident populations and are thus seen more regularly.

Cheers,

Adam

[Cowgirl]

If I was a pheasant I think I'd run like hell everytime I saw a human as well.

Perhaps birds in winter have learned to associate humans with a) guns or b) food so it depends on the variety of bird.

[rossy]

top and bottom of it is, they have to eat to survive, remember the waxwings the other week, fearless of man . rossy.

[SheffieldLass]

Originally Posted by Cowgirl

If I was a pheasant I think I'd run like hell everytime I saw a human as well.

Perhaps birds in winter have learned to associate humans with a) guns or b) food so it depends on the variety of bird.

The pheasant round here run like hell if I encounter them in the woods. When they come into my garden they behave differently, are much more tame. They seem to learn where the safe havens are.

And my other birds are very tame right now. Especially when I emerge from my house, when they fly over to greet me. They're expecting a food top up, and clever things, they know that I'll succumb to their charms and go and fetch them some.