[bcbirdclub] Interspecies Behavior
- From: "Roger Mayhorn" <rmayhorn@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "BCBC Listserve" <bcbirdclub@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2012 22:27:49 -0400
A couple of days ago I glanced out the window to see a male Downy Woodpecker
feeding an adult, female cardinal at our suet feeder. I had heard of such
behavior before between species, but I had never seen it myself. I don't know
how long the activity had gone on before I noticed, but twice I watched as the
Downy, which was hanging onto the the front of the suet cage, reached food up
to the cardinal. The cardinal was atop the 6x6 wooden block which holds the
suet cage which is attached to the side of the block.
Normally I see the cardinals land on the top of the block and bend down
threateningly to scare away any smaller bird that is on the suet cage. I
suppose the urge to feed was so strong in the male Downy this time of year
during the breeding season, that upon seeing the cardinal bending down toward
it, it automatically responded by offering food, which the female took. After
feeding the cardinal the male Downy then took a large hunk of suet mixture in
its beak, then flew off, probably to feed its young in a nearby cavity. (Sorry,
no photo.)
Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
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