Field Journal 4

It was 2/21/21. I started at 9:13 and ended at 10:45. It was 39 degrees out with no clouds and 4mph wind. The habitat was residential with many bushes and trees. the location was the local residential area of downtown Burlington.

My birds were extremely vocal calling each other. Many times they would land in a tree or a house, call out and find some more birds of the same species and fly off together. I witnessed some House Sparrows do this on Hungerford Terrace. I also heard lots of calls and songs in different pitches making me think they were male and females calling to each other possibly finding a mate.

I saw a pair of Northern Cardinals. The male was brightly colored red and calling out his laser beam song. Soon after a female cardinal flew up into the tree. I assume the strength of his voice and the strong color of red attracted the female as a form of sexual selection. I also saw some Black-capped Chickadees. I saw one hopping from tree to tree looking for someone else I presume. Both the male and females are identical but I would assume the brighter colors would allow the male to find a female easier.

I saw a Ring-billed Gull calling out and gliding over the Burlington area. Soon after the bird found more gulls and they all landed on the top of a house in the direct sunlight, looking around. I am assuming since it was the morning that the gull was looking for food or others who might know where food is. This behavior fits in with the circadian rhythm since it was bright sunlight out and very warm on a cool morning. Since they live through hours of sunlight I think he had been flying around earlier that morning and was finding some time to find more gulls and rest.

I found a small foraging flock of House Sparrows in a nearby tree. I walked over and started making pish noises and they all flew away together. I think that I probably spooked them and sent them all scattering. I am assuming that they might associate that sound with a dangerous animal or something negative that can cause harm. They are prey species so they exhibited their fight or flight method and chose flight.

Julkaistu maaliskuu 22, 2021 03:23 IP. käyttäjältä