Máistir Nádúraí: Nuthatches seem to understand chickadee

3.19.2007

Nuthatches seem to understand chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

"Nuthatches appear to have learned to understand a foreign language - chickadee. It's not unusual for one animal to react to the alarm call of another, but nuthatches seem to go beyond that - interpreting the type of alarm and what sort of predator poses a threat. When a chickadee sees a predator, it issues warning call - a soft 'seet' for a flying hawk, owl or falcon, or a loud 'chick-a-dee-dee-dee' for a perched predator."

Bio:

Mike McDowell has been documenting southern Wisconsin’s flora and fauna since 1987 and began leading field trips in 2002. Prolific at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, other highlighted natural areas include Pope Farm Conservancy, Spring Green Preserve, and the Baraboo Hills. His nature photography has appeared in various publications, newspapers, magazines and was even featured on a Wisconsin Endangered Resources license plate, a Capital Brewery beer label, and a National Geographic publication. He began journaling nature observations on this blog in 2005. He's the recipient of the 2012 Bronze Passenger Pigeon Award from the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their local communities or state to promote the field of ornithology. He was a finalist in Swarovski’s Digiscoper of the Year photography contest several times. His other interests include insect macro-photography (especially tiger beetles, treehoppers, and robber flies), fossil collecting, amateur astronomy, botany, natural history, and marksmanship with long-range rifles. Once a gigging musician, collecting Fender Stratocasters is a recently revived interest—most prized being a 1957 Vintage Custom Shop 'Mary Kaye' White Blonde. A former IT Professional, he's spent the last 24 years employed in the sport optics industry.