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Home > Blogs > Birds and Butterflies > Archives > 2009 > November > 11 > Entry
Feeding Behaviors to Look For
Blog by Katy Malcolm
As we move deeper into our winter season, it is becoming easier to find different species of birds finding food together. A common pairing is the Tufted Titmouse and the Carolina Chickadee. We often see these birds moving along tree branches during our nature hikes. When different species are looking for food in groups, they are called mixed species flocks.
If you ever come upon a large flock of birds feeding, take some time to observe their behaviors.
You may notice that individual birds maintain a certain distance from all the other birds very carefully. In a large flock, when one bird shifts, several others around it may shift as well. Quiz: Why do you think it is important for birds to keep a boundary around themselves at all times? You may also observe behaviors resulting from an established social ranking system. Flocks can have dominance hierarchies, just like dog packs.
There are many reasons why birds may want to feed in a large group. One reason may be that there are more eyes present to look for predators. Another may be that predators may think twice about attacking a larger group of birds.
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