Neighborhood Noise

I am a card-carrying bird enthusiast. I stop short of calling myself an expert bird watcher, however, as I have so much more to learn. I also do not chase over hill and dale to add new bird sightings to an ongoing list. I am not opposed to such activity, but I am a bit too lazy to immerse myself to that degree, yet. The bulk of my bird watching happens through the windows of my home. I participate in a citizen science program called Project FeederWatch through Cornell University which involves recording backyard bird numbers throughout the winter months. I greatly enjoy having a purpose to my hobby and it forces me to identify the ubiquitous little brown birds. 

Recently, my mid-morning coffee break has been jostled by a clatter of squeaking chatter and whistles. A quick peek out the window reveals a flurry of activity. The leafless trees are filled with robin-sized birds conversing in their bird-like manner. The birds cluster together, at rest and in the air. And they are oh so vocal. 

Upon further investigation, my bird visitors are identified as European Starlings. I am not going to lie, starlings are not my favorite birds. I do not like it when they bully their way to the front of the line on my suet feeders. They have long yellow beaks and are able to pull apart a block of suet with surgical precision. And they are always en masse with all their avian buddies.

Despite my lack of wholehearted love for the starlings, I do enjoy watching their antics in my neighborhood. It is like watching a playground in the sky. The birds dip and dive as they chase each other from tree to tree. They form patterns when they move in rippling groups of roiling black shapes. They seem to have boundless energy and as quickly as they arrive, they can take off for the next neighborhood playground. 

Another bird that likes to hang out in groups at my feeders is the House Sparrow. Like the starling, they seem to enjoy flitting around with their fellow bird mates. They often jockey for the best position on my hanging tube feeder and they squabble back and forth while they enjoy their snacks. They are no less vocal than the starlings and it is easy to know when they have arrived.

Both bird species are classified as introduced species because they are not native to our country. The starlings were brought here by a group of folks that wanted America to have all the birds mentioned by Shakespeare. The House Sparrow was released in America as a way to control the ravages of a certain moth. Both bird species arrived during the 19th century and clearly, both species embraced their adopted home with vigor. It is tempting to blame them for making it more difficult for other native birds to thrive but I remind myself of the truth of the matter. I can enjoy them for their quirky antics and busybody ways or I can let them irritate me. For now, I feel it is best to enjoy my feathered friends and admire their plucky willingness to cohabitate with humans. 

All God's creatures. 

A few of my little brown birds.