Hi, All:
I observed a very unusual behavior in "my" song sparrows yesterday and
thought maybe someone could shed some light on it. When I came home from
work and stepped out of my truck, I saw one of "my" pair of song sparrows on
the lower roof (only one storey up) looking down. He (?) has been up there
for the past several days whenever my husband and I come home. The pair
usually nests in my front yard in the apple tree that he claims sometime
around January/February with his delightful singing, in fact he is my alarm
clock most mornings.
As I sometimes do when I get out of my truck, I "pished" to see if any new
birds were lurking in my rather overgrown butterfly bushes and apple trees.
The next thing I know, the little guy(?)came flying down, went running along
the ground flashing his wings repeatedly as I have seen a mockingbird do
when he is challenging intruders. He even came close to me giving the same
display; but unlike a mocker, he did not attack me. I have lived in the
same house for 28 years now and have observed song sparrows in the yard
since I became an active bird watcher over eight years ago (I know they were
there before--I just didn't know what they were). Never in the preceding
years have I ever experienced this display on the part of a song sparrow. Is
this just a "super-macho" guy protecting his territory or what? Any clues?
Thanks.
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