Birds behaving friendlier

cocoshovel

Hey all. I have noticed that over the pastfew months some smaller species of birds are acting friendlier towards humans or myself.
Its mainly blackbirds and smaller birds like wagtails that seem to be displaying this behavior.
When Im walking along (usually through the park early in the morning) they like to edge their way towards me, or hop up close to me as if they're curious to see who I am. Its not just in the city park where they would be more used to people, but its also when I go for walks in the countryside and around my house where they wouldnt be used to people.

Ive noted this over the previous years during the cold weather and I just put that down to them being really desperate for food, and have had small birds staring in at me from the window ledge but this winter its very mild. Is it still hard for them to get food even though there isnt really any frost, ice or snow?

Could it also be a territorial thing? Ive read that blackbirds get very defensive.
I find it adorable

stupidusername

I would've thought it was a survival thing - to get food. or maybe it's about doing what they can to get food, with the few daylight hours we have. now that you mentioned it I got very close to a robin the other day which I thought was very odd, and another day I saw a wagtail walking along beside a path, beside people.

of course maybe they have more information than us about the weather, and can feel a cold spell coming in a while, and are panicking. who knows!

Mothman

Many birds will hang around larger animals because the larger animals will raise/unearth some prey.

Kess73

While not a towards human slant, I have noticed that two of my regular robins have started to tolerate the other, and now can land within a few inches of the other when coming to me for mealworm and often arrive together. Looks like the start of them pairing up for the breeding season next year.

cscook

Kess73 wrote: »

While not a towards human slant, I have noticed that two of my regular robins have started to tolerate the other, and now can land within a few inches of the other when coming to me for mealworm and often arrive together. Looks like the start of them pairing up for the breeding season next year.

Ah - I was sure I saw two together today, one on the water feeder and one on the wall just behind it. But our current regular is such a dimwit that I don't know if it has any territorial instinct either!

Wild_Dogger

2 Red robins feeding together on a fat ball today ............. arrived separately and tolerated each other !