Bird conservation depends on connecting people with nature. It’s a win-win in that being in nature is beneficial for our health and well-being. So go out birding! Enjoy the experience of seeing and hearing many types of birds and revel in the colors and songs. Travel to different kinds of places (locally or afar) with varied habitats to experience the impressive diversity of birds (and other flora and fauna). Grow your list.
But, sometimes, just keep watching that one bird. Our desire to advocate for birds depends not only on the numbers of bird species that we see but the connection we enjoy with individuals. When “slow birding,” we remember to slow down occasionally and wonder what he or she is up to. What behaviors can you observe? How are they interacting with others or with their environment? Perhaps think about the birds’ distinct personalities and how it shapes their days.
A plethora of research studies demonstrate that birds (and other animals) have personalities This should not come as a surprise to those of us who have stopped to watch the antics of birds, but it is rewarding when our intuition is borne out by research. What do we mean by personality? The Oxford Dictionary says it is “the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s distinctive character.” Scientists hypothesize that bird personalities, as in humans, are shaped by a combination of genes (nature) and experience (nurture).
Here’s a sampling of some findings:
Caribbean flamingo individuals who displayed higher levels of aggressive, exploratory, and submissive behavior had more numerous and stronger network connections. Although they engaged in more fighting than individuals who didn’t score high on these measures, they appeared to provide more social support when their associates were threatened.
In Zebra Finches, less dominant birds were more likely to solve novel foraging tasks than their more dominant counterparts. The researchers hypothesized that since less dominant individuals receive fewer resources due to competition, they may need to be more curious and innovative when it comes to getting food.
Among wild Superb Fairy-wrens in Australia, individuals that were more novelty-seeking sang more complex songs as measured by the number of element types per song.
In Java Sparrows, females preferred bolder males as mates. In Zebra Finches, highly exploratory females preferred more exploratory males but females with low-exploratory tendencies showed no preference.
Iberian Magpies engage in cooperative nesting with some males acting as “helpers.” Males who come from other colonies were more frequently involved in helping when they had exploratory personalities. Among native males, breeders were more explorative than helpers.
Next time I am observing a bird, I’ll wonder about whether it is bolder or less inclined to seek novelty. We have a motion-sensor camera near our bird feeder. I am particularly enamored by the one bird who comes right up to it, cocks his head, and investigates the lens. What is he thinking?
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