The Law of Unintended Consequences states that almost all human actions have at least one unintended outcome. We have found that to be true in many instances. For example, when we built a nest box intended for flickers and covered the hole partially so that they could bang their way in and the starlings could not, what happened was a hive of wild honey bees in the area swarmed and decided to live in the nest box.
There have been several unintended consequences of providing a feeding station for seed eating birds. One of those has been an increase in the number of bug eaters as well. Apparently, all the chat about how nice it is here makes the bug eaters want to check it out. Plus, if there are a LOT of little birds around, then you as a little bird, are less likely to fall prey if there is a predator around.
And that leads me to the second unintended consequence of feeding the seed eaters. We now are also feeding a Sharp-shinned hawk and a Cooper’s hawk, both of which prey on small birds. It became a two tiered feeder in terms of the food chain: I feed the sparrows and the finches, they feed the hawk.
I don’t mind having a few predators around, after all, they are a natural part of the ecosystem. They have a fierce beauty that attracts me. It is amazing to see how fast all the prey can disappear into the thick evergreens and shrubbery when the hawk flies into the yard. The finches have taken to posting sentinels on the elms as an early warning system.
There are several bird feeders in the area, the hawks visit them in rotation. I have seen one fly through the carport of the house across the street, out the side and swoop around the house to dive on the little birds scattering away from the attack. On this side of the street, the hawk has learned he can sit in the top of the elm tree on the south side of the house and scope out the situation at the bird feeder that is on the north side of the house. Then, when there is enough activity there, he drops straight down out of the tree, flies low along the side of the house, and pops up over the fence right by the feeder.
The escape flights of the finches has afforded me some amazing air shows. There have been loops, barrel rolls, s-turns, all through and around the yard. Sometimes they escape, sometimes the hawk has a meal. Once he lost a tail feather when he flew through one of the trees in pursuit of a little bird. I found it that evening, a gift on the lawn.
The finches have their ways of getting away, and getting back at the predator. They are slightly more maneuverable than the Cooper’s hawk, and they have learned to fly straight at the dining room window and then turn aside at the last possible second. The hawk does not always make the turn. Once the loud thump brought me outside to find the hawk lying stunned in my hostas. I picked it up and held it in my hands as it recovered its wits. Nothing was broken, and eventually I felt it stir restlessly, so I opened my hands and let it fly away. I’ll never forget the fierce golden glare of that hawk as I waited for it to shake off its concussion.
