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From: teexmmo@ioe.lon.ac.uk (Matthew Moore)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Handfeeding Wild Birds
Message-ID: <1990Nov27.173242.27735@ioe.lon.ac.uk>
Date: 27 Nov 90 17:32:42 GMT
References: <11679@milton.u.washington.edu>
Reply-To: teexmmo@ioe.lon.ac.uk (Matthew Moore)
Distribution: rec.birds
Organization: Institute of Education University of London
Lines: 23

Here in London, sparrows will feed from your hand, either hovering, or
landing on your hand.

"Ground baiting" (chucking food up demonstratively) helps, and it
helps if they can see the food in your hand from the ground, (or
whereeever they are perching).

Sparrows are very gregarious, and some small flocks are much tamer
than others. Particular places in parks are good, and at the tables of
outdoor cafes the best. (They get used to foraging near people).

Also at outdoor cafes, a few blackbirds will take food from your hand.

Grey squirrels (not exactly a bird) will feed from your hand in many
parks, and will also climb your trouser leg to take a nut, and then
hang head down, by the rear legs, while they eat it. (They also do
this in trees sometimes - hang head down that is).

The robin (_not_ the American bird, which is actually a type of
thrush) is reputed to be very bold in winter, feeding from hands etc.

The London pigeons are tame enough that catching enough for dinner
would easy on a regular basis.