Black birds and small tits
Discussion
We have always had a variety of small birds in/on the feeder.
Fill it up several times a week, they are always there. Robins, tits, other small birds whose names I dont know.
Then pigeons started coming from the woods this year. They got on with the small birds just fine.
Then these chaps started appearing in the last few weeks
... We havent had any small birds in the feeder in a few weeks now.
None that I can recall. It dawned on me that the bigger black birds may have frightened the small ones away.
The pigeons still come back, but very little else.
And we back onto woods so have no shortage of birds, who know of our wild birdseed feeder.
Any idea what the problem is, whether its that time of year, or...?
Fill it up several times a week, they are always there. Robins, tits, other small birds whose names I dont know.
Then pigeons started coming from the woods this year. They got on with the small birds just fine.
Then these chaps started appearing in the last few weeks
... We havent had any small birds in the feeder in a few weeks now.
None that I can recall. It dawned on me that the bigger black birds may have frightened the small ones away.
The pigeons still come back, but very little else.
And we back onto woods so have no shortage of birds, who know of our wild birdseed feeder.
Any idea what the problem is, whether its that time of year, or...?
Vajazzle said:
They're jackdaws.
Mobile Chicane said:
Agreed - jackdaws.
Of the corvid (crow) family, but the light-coloured head gives it away.
Jackdaws.
OK, well done.Of the corvid (crow) family, but the light-coloured head gives it away.
Jackdaws.
I did have it in mind that they were either ravens, rooks, crows, magpies or jackdaws, as they are all black.
Which ones have white markings - wasnt so sure.
However, whilst our pigeons are skittish, these things are terrified. Took me several attempts to take a photo through the window from a distance. At the first sight of any human, they take off like rockets. Not the behaviour of a bullying bird. I preferred the little ones to be honest.
The only thing that has changed with the bird feed in the last 2 weeks is the addition of mealworm. Perhaps ditching that will get rid of them, and bring the return of all the small birds, although at a guess I doubt it.
RichB said:
Mobsta said:
The only thing that has changed with the bird feed in the last 2 weeks is the addition of mealworm. Perhaps ditching that will get rid of them, and bring the return of all the small birds, although at a guess I doubt it.
Try it...Th jackdaws have no interest in the new younglings.
The little birds had no fear of the bigger bantams.
So the only denominator which has changed is the mealworm.
However, every small animal likes mealworm.
Our rodents, reptiles, tame birds, wild birds... I even got a pack of the roasted suckers (Chilli flavour) for Christmas.
along with 'normal' birds I have rooks/jackdaws and magpies visit my feeding areas
they are all very cautious/nervous - surprising for such large birds - but their nature is to be very cautious, not surprising as they are frequently shot and they are some of the most intelligent birds
they can all be hand reared and become very tame - but in the wild its very difficult to gain their confidence/trust
one magpie is slowly gaining trust but I have to be very careful not to spook it
now, the blackbirds are getting 'silly' tame - if the back door is left open its not uncommon to find several sitting on the kitchen worktops!
the other day a sparrow hawk flew over and en masse they all came into the kitchen for safety!!! - very funny!
they are all very cautious/nervous - surprising for such large birds - but their nature is to be very cautious, not surprising as they are frequently shot and they are some of the most intelligent birds
they can all be hand reared and become very tame - but in the wild its very difficult to gain their confidence/trust
one magpie is slowly gaining trust but I have to be very careful not to spook it
now, the blackbirds are getting 'silly' tame - if the back door is left open its not uncommon to find several sitting on the kitchen worktops!
the other day a sparrow hawk flew over and en masse they all came into the kitchen for safety!!! - very funny!
grand cherokee said:
now, the blackbirds are getting 'silly' tame - if the back door is left open its not uncommon to find several sitting on the kitchen worktops!
the other day a sparrow hawk flew over and en masse they all came into the kitchen for safety!!! - very funny!
That's quality. We had a very tame robin at our old house, could feed it out of the handthe other day a sparrow hawk flew over and en masse they all came into the kitchen for safety!!! - very funny!
roystinho said:
grand cherokee said:
now, the blackbirds are getting 'silly' tame - if the back door is left open its not uncommon to find several sitting on the kitchen worktops!
the other day a sparrow hawk flew over and en masse they all came into the kitchen for safety!!! - very funny!
That's quality. We had a very tame robin at our old house, could feed it out of the handthe other day a sparrow hawk flew over and en masse they all came into the kitchen for safety!!! - very funny!
I tend to run out of the back door like a tribal Zulu warrior whooping and braying, making whatever animalistic sounds will scare the big birds off (ive invented some good ones, based on dinosaurs and dilapidated machinery from the industrial revolution) when there are no small birds in sight, but the big birds keep coming back.
I noted other big black birds had landed in the garden yesterday, hanging out near the chickens. White tails, so magpies perhaps.
I'll mention in passing that I scare off every stray cat I see. As they tend to smite with pointed bottom and curled tail in our flower beds. We have very few stray cats these days. But the squirrels, too, are not feeding daily, as they used too. Just the big jackdaws.
We have no dog. Filled up the feeders before the weekend, no small birds whatsoever.
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