Hi

This is vaguely OT but I was wondering how birds almost immediately know when I
start to put food out for them?

I don't feed in the summer, but as soon as I put any crumbs out the birds seem
to whiz down in three minutes flat to feed. Their mates seem to hear about it
too and before long the garden is humming!

The feeder is hanging in a sumac tree so they don't come to it much in summer as
it has no fruits or berries. It's can't be that they see me go near the tree, as
I tend the plants around its base all year long........

Do they have amazing eyesight - a terrific sense of smell - do the know what
time of year I start to feed - or what ??

Jenny

I remember a related story, possibly an urban myth but you never know ...

A man was annoyed by the noise his local football team made when they played
on the field outside his house on Sunday mornings. So for a couple of weeks
before the start of the season, he went out every day, stood in the middle
of the pitch, blew a whistle and scattered birdfood around. Come the start
of the season, both teams get out on the pitch, the ref blows his whistle to
start the game and they immediately have to abandon it because all the birds
fly down to look for the food.

:-))

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm

"JennyC" wrote in message
...
Hi

This is vaguely OT but I was wondering how birds almost immediately know
when I
start to put food out for them?

I don't feed in the summer, but as soon as I put any crumbs out the birds
seem
to whiz down in three minutes flat to feed. Their mates seem to hear about
it
too and before long the garden is humming!

The feeder is hanging in a sumac tree so they don't come to it much in
summer as
it has no fruits or berries. It's can't be that they see me go near the
tree, as
I tend the plants around its base all year long........

Do they have amazing eyesight - a terrific sense of smell - do the know
what
time of year I start to feed - or what ??

Jenny

"Martin Sykes" wrote in message
...
I remember a related story, possibly an urban myth but you never know ...

A man was annoyed by the noise his local football team made when they
played
on the field outside his house on Sunday mornings. So for a couple of
weeks
before the start of the season, he went out every day, stood in the middle
of the pitch, blew a whistle and scattered birdfood around. Come the start
of the season, both teams get out on the pitch, the ref blows his whistle
to
start the game and they immediately have to abandon it because all the
birds
fly down to look for the food.


LOL, good story. But birds certainly can and do learn from experience, e.g.
a reported case of a grey heron, observing fish congregating to feed from
crumbs falling from bread thrown in to feed the ducks, stealing some of the
bread, taking it to a quiet fishing spot, and dropping it in the water to
act as groundbait.