Just a quick post because I’m supposed to be writing. I decided to write this because I saw something I’d not read about before. Of course, once I searched for it, I confirmed I wasn’t the first human to observe this behavior . . . drat!

But first, a brief introduction. Click in the name to learn about the Carolina Chickadee, and here’s a specimen at one of my feeders.

They are cute birds, forever looking busy, and here’s their typical behavior . . .

First, grab a seed . . .

Then, find a nearby branch away from the feeder and other birds, and proceed to feast on the meal by pecking at it while holding it underfoot.

It’s a bit difficult to see because it’s facing away, but the bird pecks at the seed to open it, discard the husk, and then peck at the seed to eat it. Here, I’ve cropped a little closer to the action.

But, it appears that occasionally, they do something else . . .

I’d not read about this behavior before (others, like nuthatches, also do this), so I was thrilled to witness it. And, yes, I confirmed the seed had been stashed.

I don’t know how good the bird’s memory is, like how many locations they can remember. If they’re anything like squirrels, they probably forget 25%-30% of the stashed food. Or, maybe, other birds find the stash and have a snack.

For instance, that particular tree often hosts different birds (titmice, other chickadees, and woodpeckers) roaming those branches. I always thought they were looking for insects (and maybe they were), but they would easily find that seed.

Anyway, that’s my interesting bit for the day.

Here is a SmugMug slideshow of the above:

Slideshow of the Carolina Chickadee – April 2022 SmugMug Gallery.

That’s it. This post has ended . . . except for the stuff below.

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