I spent an hour watching the rivalry play out at our bird feeder the other day. There were black capped chickadees and red breasted nuthatches coming and going freely, getting their fill of seed prior to the cold snap moving in. Suddenly they would disperse, and one of the red bellied woodpeckers would take over the feeder. Their size and aggressiveness would send the smaller birds away. But don’t rule them out…the chickadees and nuthatches would fly in quickly, grab their seed, and leave just as quickly. Eventually the woodpeckers would move to the nearby trees, and the smaller birds would reign over the seeds. It was fascinating to watch, and it seemed that everyone had their time at the feeder.
January 16, 2019
A lesson in sharing before the cold snap
Posted by lindastaatsphoto under nature, winter, Wisconsin | Tags: bird feeder, birds, black cappede chickadee, red bellied woodpecker, red breaste3d nuthatch |[6] Comments
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January 16, 2019 at 12:17 pm
Beautiful bird and great shot.
January 17, 2019 at 9:09 am
Thanks, Jack! It was great fun to watch the interaction of the birds.
January 21, 2019 at 3:46 pm
I’ve seen that happen as well. Also, I notice that the woodpecker has a funny little warning cry before it comes. Lovely pics!
January 22, 2019 at 7:38 am
There’s always rivalries over food. But it seems everyone gets a chance to get their fill. Thanks for the comment!
January 23, 2019 at 5:54 am
Ultimately exquisite!
January 29, 2019 at 9:46 am
Thanks, Rex!