![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
today's bird
May. 18th, 2014 08:38 amToday's bird is the rose-breasted grosbeak. We at least two of them, who are quite frustrated with the feeder situation. They can't figure out how to get the sunflower seeds out of the feeder we have them in. They peck at the clear plastic, but can't perch and bend over enough to reach the openings. I saw one of them pull the tail feathers of a goldfinch just because it was something he could reach. The finch didn't appreciate that very much.
I've seen the blackbirds, which are larger, work cooperatively to get empty the feeder quickly. One would pull out the seeds and drop them on the ground while all the others would eat from the ground. They'd take turns doing the work and eating. The one doing the work would hold onto the perch with one leg, lean over, and flap its wings wildly to maintain a position it could reach the opening. The thrust from its wings would propel the feeder around, so you'd have a flapping spinning bird spreading seed all over the ground for his mates. It was fun to watch, but wasted a lot of seed.
The grosbeaks aren't that smart. They'll sit there and watch each other tapping at the plastic.
In other news, we have lots of flowers in the yard, with more things coming along daily. We've got a large bleeding heart at the top of the flower bed that enjoyed yesterday's rain and is in full bloom.
I've seen the blackbirds, which are larger, work cooperatively to get empty the feeder quickly. One would pull out the seeds and drop them on the ground while all the others would eat from the ground. They'd take turns doing the work and eating. The one doing the work would hold onto the perch with one leg, lean over, and flap its wings wildly to maintain a position it could reach the opening. The thrust from its wings would propel the feeder around, so you'd have a flapping spinning bird spreading seed all over the ground for his mates. It was fun to watch, but wasted a lot of seed.
The grosbeaks aren't that smart. They'll sit there and watch each other tapping at the plastic.
In other news, we have lots of flowers in the yard, with more things coming along daily. We've got a large bleeding heart at the top of the flower bed that enjoyed yesterday's rain and is in full bloom.
