Now that temperatures are finally beginning to drop, activity around our bird feeders is on the rise. When this happens, we have the opportunity to witness the fascinating feeding behaviors of our feathered guests.
A behavior I particularly enjoy watching is caching. One bird that routinely stores seeds in my backyard is the Carolina chickadee.
If you feed birds, you are undoubtedly familiar with this feathered sprite. It is particularly fond of black oil sunflower seeds. Typically, a Carolina chickadee will fly in, pluck a single sunflower seed from a feeder, and fly off to a nearby branch. Once there it firmly holds the seed, between its feet and quickly chisels the seed’s hull open, and swallows the exposed fat-rich seed. The bird then returns to a feeder and repeats the process. This behavior is replayed countless times throughout the day.
However, if you are patient, and watch Carolina chickadees feeding in your backyard, you just might be lucky enough to see a chickadee store a seed.