For a while, it had been a goal of mine to entice one of my wild, avian friends to land in my hand. That goal had been achieved this past spring. Eventually, it would be one of the smallest birds around that would be brave enough to do it. That is no accident. Black-capped chickadees are known for being fearless despite their diminutive size.
Of course, not all chickadees are the same. One chickadee has landed in my hand over a dozen times now. It's mate has only landed in my hand once or twice, preferring to peck at food on the ground or in the cage feeders. I'm still trying to figure out which one is the friendly one, the male or the female.
In this instance, I was offering them pieces of peanuts. This seems to be their favorite. Often, I'll observe chickadees hiding food in the dead flowers of the Rose of Sharon bush. Through research I've learned that chickadees can remember thousands of these kinds of hiding spots. Thousands. One time I forgot to add the coffee to my coffee maker and ended up with a pot of hot water. The pot is not see-through, so I didn't know this and proceeded to pour the water into my mug which already had the creamer in it. So I ended up with a mug of hot, creamy water. But I digress.
After about eight months I was finally able to get a video of this latest accomplishment. During the warmer months, my encounters with the chickadees were sporadic. So, I waited until the snow started to fall. And...boy, has it fallen already. With food being more scarce, the chickadees have been visiting daily. The video is posted below.
You probably know that chickadees get their name from their signature chick-a-dee-dee call. But, do you know the meaning of that call and how it relates to a chickadee's bravery when interacting with humans? Basically, chickadees are great sentinels for other small creatures and that call is a warning signal. The greater the threat, the more "dees" get added to the end. Pretty cool, huh? If you'd like to learn more about the chickadee's intricate alarm system, I'll recommend this article.
Thank you for reading and enjoy the video.
Wherever we are, we are surrounded by nature. It's always trying to communicate with us. Take time to notice. #NoticeNature.
