Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!deimos.cis.ksu.edu!harris.cis.ksu.edu!hansen From: hansen@harris.cis.ksu.edu (Steve Hansen) Newsgroups: rec.birds Subject: Re: Robins attack my windows! Message-ID: <261D04DA.4173@deimos.cis.ksu.edu> Date: 6 Apr 90 21:06:33 GMT References: <4950003@hpcvca.CV.HP.COM> <1990Apr4.215834.3480@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> Sender: nntpd@deimos.cis.ksu.edu (USENET NNTP Server) Reply-To: hansen@harris.cis.ksu.edu (Steve Hansen) Organization: Kansas State University, Dept of Computing & Information Sciences Lines: 33 In article grp@magpie.unify.uucp (Greg Pasquariello) writes: ... >In article <1990Apr4.215834.3480@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> rcb33483@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Kehaar) writes: > > An interesting side note is that Robins seem to be aware of this instinct, > because they will deliberately avoid facing each other breast-to-breast > on communal feeding grounds (where many Robins get together to feed together)! > > R. Cody Buchmann ^.^ > >This is an interesting observation. I never really noticed it before, but now >that you mention it, it seems somewhat obvious! Next flock of robins I see, >I'll have to look for this. Thanks. > >-Greg >-- >------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >Greg Pasquariello (916) 920-9092 grp@unify.UUCP >Unify Corporation ...!{csusac, pyramid}!unify!grp > "I think I have a woodpecker!" - s. strool There may be another explanation for such behavior. They could be facing in different directions simply because any two robins are more likely to be facing in different directions than towards each other. Additionally, they may turn in a different direction to avoid feeding in the same area as another robin. Have you conducted an experiment or controlled observation to determine the reason that the robins point in different directions? If not, do you know of a paper which documents such research? Just curious. Happy birding, Steve Hansen, Manhattan, Kansas hansen@harris.cis.ksu.edu