Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!news.nd.edu!mentor.cc.purdue.edu!noose.ecn.purdue.edu!dynamo.ecn.purdue.edu!wb9omc From: wb9omc@dynamo.ecn.purdue.edu (Duane P Mantick) Newsgroups: rec.birds Subject: Re: Do birds know who feeds them? Keywords: birdfood Message-ID: Date: 5 Jun 91 22:22:38 GMT References: <25107@well.sf.ca.us> <1991May29.225602.16384@verdix.com> Sender: root@noose.ecn.purdue.edu (ECN System Management) Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network Lines: 32 If I had to make a guess, I'd say YES with one qualification: The best example of this I've seen is with the hummingbirds. They have let me get VERY close to them, where they would leave if any of the neighbors even got near. The hummers seem to know that they have an edge in terms of escape, but I feel they don't fear me quite so much as some of the other wild birds seem to. In fact, I get the feeling that some of the hummers enjoy showing off a bit. There was a female at our previous apartment who had been feeding regularly at our feeder. One evening while I was out back working on the birdbath/fountain she began buzzing me at VERY close quarters until I stopped. When I turned to try to figure out just what she was all excited about, I found two little hummers on the feeder perches! It seemed pretty obvious that these were her offspring and that she was determined to show them to me. As time went by, it was not uncommon to see the three of them together at the feeder, happily humming and feeding. When the fall migration came about they seemed to get rather silly, gorging on the nectar and then chasing each other about, poking each other with the beak! I was sad to see them go, but I was happy to get a couple of pictures of them through the windows (gee, a family portrait of sorts). On a related note, hummer experts - Are the male Ruby-Throats generally reclusive? That same summer previously mentioned we DID have a male visit once or twice only, and he was less tolerant of me being around. Pretty though... Duane