Understand Bird Behavior at the Feeder: Backyard Birds Revealed

Today, we’re exploring the bold personalities, incredible behaviors, and quick reflexes as birds battle for space at the feeder.

We’re wildlife filmmakers Tim and Russ Laman, and we usually travel the world filming. But in this series, we’re using our cameras to explore the lives of the birds that live right in our backyard in Massachusetts. Welcome to Backyard Birds Revealed.

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The bird feeder is a prized resource that draws birds in from all over, especially during the winter. At the feeder, even the smallest gesture can have big consequences.

A turn of the head. A flash of wings. Every movement sends a message. Looking closely, we noticed that different species had distinct personalities as they jockey for position. Some of the birds are docile, like the peaceful Mourning Dove, which seems content to pack as tightly together as possible and are wary to displace even much smaller birds.

The diminutive Black-capped Chickadees are near the bottom of the pecking order. Only through persistence were they able to get any time at the feeder without getting displaced. These interactions seem pretty harmless to us, but slowing down some of our clips, showed just how serious they can be.

As we slow down this clip, we see that in this seemingly innocuous interaction, the chickadee actually faceplants in sheer panic as it tries to get away from the aggressive incoming Tufted Titmouse. I had no idea that these microsecond disputes could be so intense.

House Finches, on the other hand, like to park out on the feeder in larger groups using their large crushing bills to open seeds right where they sit.

But even they make room for massive Blue Jays, which dwarf other birds and travel in groups. Though if it gets too crowded, Blue Jays can give a really cool tail flare behavior to warn off a rival.

All’s well at the top, until a hefty Red-bellied Woodpecker makes an appearance. With their long bills and powerful physiques, most woodpeckers are strong competitors at feeders. Tufted Titmice are particularly feisty, rarely fighting each other or other birds, and often holding their ground instead of flying off completely.

When agitated, they have a mass of crested feathers they can raise on their head, a clear sign that says ‘Watch out!” as they leap towards a foe.

Looking in slow motion. We can even predict what’s going to happen in advance. This titmouse may be flying in confidently, but its slicked-down crest says it’s submissive.

Sure enough, the perched titmouse, with its crest raised, is having none of it, and chases off the newcomer, sending them into acrobatics as they leap over the edge.

Sometimes we even see unique personalities within a species. American Goldfinches are usually lowest in the hierarchy, losing practically every interaction. But one morning, a super aggressive goldfinch was standing its ground, constantly flexing at the Dark-eyed Juncos and House Finches, even though they hardly moved in response.

But my favorite bird of the feeder is the Carolina Wren. This small little rotund bird with a hooked bill and a kind of cute but grumpy face, was super aggressive and incredibly fearless. It’ll go after almost anybody on the feeder, leaping forward with reckless abandon and picking fights, whether it’s likely to win or not.

Well, it was really exciting to discover some of the interactions happening right at our bird feeder. So what’s the pecking order at your bird feeder? Have fun watching and figure it out. 

Thanks for tuning in to Backyard Birds Revealed, and be sure to check out our other episodes on the Cornell Lab YouTube channel and the All About Birds website.

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