Chickadees can be very demanding and very pointed in their comments and their looks.

22 July 2003

by James K. Sayre

The vertical sunflower seed bird feeder has been low for a couple of days. As I was finishing up a late lunch, one of the local Chestnut-sided Chickadees came by. First he went to the nearly-empty sunflower feeder, then he quickly flew over to the regular feeder and looked at me and pointedly didn't sample any of the regular bird seed. Then he flew back to the near-empty vertical sunflower seed bird feeder and looked at me again. All this time he was issuing his insistent pugnacious "chick-ah-dee" call. I guess that he was trying to say to me. "Look buster, how about putting out some sunflower seeds now: I'm hungry and I'm getting a little tired of waiting. Allright already."

Chastened, I moved my lunch tray out of the sunroom and brought in the bag of sunflower seeds. Now that I've finished typing up this little story on the computer, I can feed the Chickadees.

A couple of minutes after I had replenished the sunflower seed feeder, a male House Finch came by to sample the new wares. But he preferred the traditional regular bird seed mixture. Apparently, the Chickadee is still feeling a little huffy about the lack of sunflower seed just now. About fifteen minutes later, a Plain Titmouse showed up (two actually). For being called, "plain" this Titmouse can certainly raise its dark gray crest with the best of them.

After twenty long minutes, the Chickadee finally showed up, grabbed a sunflower seed and quickly flew away. No horsing around or lollygagging for this busy little bird.

Its a free-for-all here: five bird feeders, so six birds makes a crowd.