Bird+Behavior

I'm attempting to develop a list of feeder bird behaviors (ethogram) for my students. The idea here is to identify behaviors students are likely to observe common feeder birds exhibiting. This list is a work in progress. Please edit and/or add to this list.

The following resources may be of interest and have been helpful to me as I have been working on this.
 * Bird Behavior [] **
 * Behavioral Ecology [] **
 * The Partial Ethogram of the American Robin [] **

Earlier discussion on this topic was posted at []

Also here is the file of tally sheets that I have been developing for my students. [|Tally_Sheet_Master-Behavior.doc]
 * =**Feeder Bird Behavior (Ethogram)**= ||
 * **Category** || **Behavior** || **Description** || **State or Event** ||
 * 1) Postures || Sitting (silent) || Perched quietly and still, usually on a low perch, not alert. || State ||
 * || Standing ||  || State ||
 * || Sunning || Resting in a sunny spot on the ground or a rooftop. || State ||
 * 2) Movement || Flyover || Flying high across your study site without stopping. || Event ||
 * || Flying ||  || State ||
 * || Take Off ||  || Event ||
 * || Landing ||  || Event ||
 * || Hopping ||  || State ||
 * || Walking ||  || State ||
 * || Climbing || Climbing up and/or down tree trunk || State ||
 * 3) Maintenance Behaviors ||  ||   ||   ||
 * || Preening || Using head or beak to straighten or flatten feathers. || State ||
 * || Scratching || Uses foot to scratch head. || Event ||
 * || Wipe Bill || Cleans beak by wiping it on a branch, etc. || Event ||
 * || Shake / Puff || Shaking feathers and fluffing them up. || Event ||
 * || Stretching || Fully extending a wing or leg. || State ||
 * || Bathing || Splashing water or dust over body. || State ||
 * || Roosting || At dusk, birds flying into and perching in trees to sleep for the night; at dawn birds flying from perches in trees. || State ||
 * 4) Feeding / Foraging ||  ||   ||   ||
 * || Caching || Picking up food and flying away with it. || Event ||
 * || Sorting Seeds || Picking through seed in the feeder to find a preferred seed type. || State ||
 * || Ground Scratching || Scratching the ground and pushing aside leaf litter in search of food. || State ||
 * || Probing || Searching crevices in tree bark, rocks, around buildings, etc. for food. || State ||
 * || Feeder Guarding || Staying close to a feeder and chasing other birds away. || State ||
 * || Ground Feeder || Searches for and eats food on the ground. || State ||
 * || Raised Feeder || Visits feeders raised off the ground or suspended in trees. || State ||
 * 5) Predator Response ||  ||   ||   ||
 * || Predator Mobbing || Flying high and then diving towards a perched predator bird (you may not be able to see the predator). || State ||
 * || Fly Away ||  || Event ||
 * || Hiding || Sitting very still and quiet. || State ||
 * 6) Social Interaction ||  ||   ||   ||
 * || Grouping || Perch in Close Contact with others of same species. || State ||
 * || Flocking || 5 or more birds of same species moving and/or feeding together. || State ||
 * || Chasing || Flying closely behind another bird. || Event ||
 * || Fighting || Physically attacking another bird. || State ||
 * 7) Displays ||  ||   ||   ||
 * 8) Vocalizations ||  ||   ||   ||
 * || Calling || Advertisement or disturbance. || State ||
 * || Singing ||  || State ||
 * || Scolding ||  || State ||
 * || Chirping ||  || Event ||
 * 7) Displays ||  ||   ||   ||
 * 8) Vocalizations ||  ||   ||   ||
 * || Calling || Advertisement or disturbance. || State ||
 * || Singing ||  || State ||
 * || Scolding ||  || State ||
 * || Chirping ||  || Event ||
 * || Scolding ||  || State ||
 * || Chirping ||  || Event ||