'Why is the sparrow doing this?'

Video taken by me of the peculiar
actions of a sparrow with a floodlight..
This happens on a daily basis.
Anyone know why? Please leave a comment.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• ethology
• ornithology
• animal behavior
• bird behavior
• bird behaviour
• bird psychology

[NancyToday]

If you rename it, 'Why is the sparrow doing this?' You might get some ornithogist. In the tags put 'birdwatching, ethology, ornithology, animal behavior, bird behavior, bird behaviour, bird psychology, etc, you might get someone who can answer your question. Also categorize it under pets and animals. What did the nature center people say? Let Cornell University know about it. They are really into birds. Have you asked Audubon?

[nancyleeould]

@NancyToday Thank you so much for all your help!!

I'll give it a try!

[Zoltrix67]

With the sound of tapping, I would suspect, being near to a nest box, he is seeing his refletion in the lamp and trying to scare his mirror image away from his territory and nest. The light coming on, is probably a fluke, as they turn on when you are withihn a ceertain range of the signal ?

[nancyleeould]

@Zoltrix67 Yes it turns on but not until it's cloudy enough too Phil. I can understand with that being his house that it could be a territorial thing....but when the light is on he tries to fly into it. It most certainly strange behavior.

[Zoltrix67]

Great video Nancy. This is very unusual behaviour of the Sparrow. They tend to eat Insects and larvae, seeds, berries, fruit, grain and refuse. They were imported to the USA to deal with insects, but now they are accused of killing the bluebirds and are targetted as pests. Insects are attracted to light, maybe he has found that out. But to be honest, I really dont know why he does it. Huga across the pond - Phil

[nancyleeould]

@Zoltrix67 Pests? No here....I have 4 or 5 birdhouses on that side of the garage all occupied by sparrows. I think they are so cute and very intelligent. I put seed out for them in the fall and winter...usually with some suet mixed in.

Thanks ever so much for having a look and giving your opinion. :-)

Hugs back to ya.

[TimelessSpace]

It is such a strange thing. I don't know why he does it, but I have a thought: probably it doesn't want the light there,because it is seen as an intruder in some way. I don't know if he uses the nest there, but is it possible for you to put the little house more to the middle of the barn, so that there is not so much light, or even radiation from the light in the house. They feel + sense much more than we normally do, so the energy of the light can make it restless. Just an idea.

Roeleke

[BirdDre]

I think the house sparrow is just really drawn to the flash of the light, so he may want to play with it. But is this filmed in fall? Maybe he's cold. . . but I mostly think he is drawn to the flashy light. Ask some places such as Cornell, I have their channel. Or go to Ojibway or Leamington and ask them what they think. Just send them a letter. But I just think he enjoys the light, because I see birds always picking up silver, such as blue jays. Blue jays love shiny things as well.

[ZeldaMeyer1]

Once he gets the flood light on, what does he do?

[karyzzmatic]

@Zoltrix67 I agree...its his reflection that he's trying to scare away. Whether the light is on or off, his pattern is identical.

If you could somehow dull the silver part of the bulb, perhaps by putting duct tape or something else on it, I'd bet that his behaviour stops and he could carry on with normal life. ;)

[ingridgott]

amazing he turn the lights on animals aremore clevertham what we think