Five Robins in the garden at the moment (1 Viewer)

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wwrsimon

Member

• Feb 6, 2013

• #1

Hello everyone, from a cold, windy Northumberland.

I just sat down to my lunch, and out of the window saw five robins hanging round the bird feeders in the garden. Usually robins are very territorial, but they seemed to be taking turns to feed, with no fighting or squabbling - all very polite!

Is this due to the bad weather, with hostilities being suspended for the time being? The Blackbirds seem to be doing the same - we had 15 of them when the snow was around.

Thanks

Simon

 

lazza

Well-known member

• Feb 6, 2013

• #2

Funnily enough, I have had three regularly in the last few weeks. While the weather was slightly better, there were obvious terretorial disagreements(!), but during the heavy snow a couple of weeks ago, these seemed all but forgotten, and the three kept quite close company with no agression at all.

So I am just as interested in the answer!

 

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Beth

• Feb 6, 2013

• #3

wwrsimon said:

Is this due to the bad weather, with hostilities being suspended for the time being?

Click to expand...

This could be the answer... maybe year-round territorial bird species will turn off the aggression when there is an added threat to survival (such as weather in this case) ... becoming slightly less territorial at times (especially during the non-breeding season) ... ?

 

timsg80

Gregor Tims

• Feb 6, 2013

• #4

We had a remarkable total of 10 robins on the feeders at the same time last weekend! When they were there, the only birds that dared approach the feeders were the nuthatches, which seemed to be even more territorial than the robins!

 

lazza

Well-known member

• Feb 6, 2013

• #5

timsg80 said:

We had a remarkable total of 10 robins on the feeders at the same time last weekend! When they were there, the only birds that dared approach the feeders were the nuthatches, which seemed to be even more territorial than the robins!

Click to expand...

Everything was scared off by our 3! Until a third dunnock arrived, and then their terretorial battle superceded the robins' and even saw off the robins.... all very entertaining!

 

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wwrsimon

Member

• Feb 6, 2013

• #6

Thanks for the replies. The Robins have been very well behaved, and even the Blackbirds are more less tolerant of each other. I guess eating is more important when the weather's the way it is, but having said that, the Starlings still have time for some serious squabbling...

Nothing, however, messes with the nuthatches - they rule the feeders, and everyone makes way for them.

Simon