2020. Bashful Birds and Fearless Fowl
December 18, 2020
Open gallery
@Humans, how much bolder do we have to get before you guys take the hint?! #MOVEOUT
By Sophie Bell
Contrary to the title’s implications, this is not actually a blog about Disney dwarves. However, we will be spending some time discussing the behavior of a few woodland creatures that Snow White probably has spent some time with! Anyone living near a city has probably noticed, or complained about, the undaunted nature of the pigeon. But what about other birds in the metropolis? What about other birds who prefer different environments? Well, due to human urbanization, a quiet life in bird-suburbia might not be all it’s talked up to be…
As the human population grows and expands to new areas, our bird populations seem to be becoming more neighborly. Using this little thing called “FID”, or flight initiation distance, experimenters were able to measure just how bold our birdies are becoming. They made a strong case supporting implications that boldness increases in more urban environments, and that it’s significantly higher than boldness in rural and suburban areas. Kind of makes you wonder how those little birds were so audacious around the forest dwelling Disney princess…