Cage Match

In the immediate aftermath of our snowstorm I had plenty of housebound time to observe behavior at the primary feeder station. One pattern of behavior that stood out was that of an aggressive Northern Mockingbird. I am well aware of the proclivity Mockingbirds can have at feeders to chase away other birds and even humans. It's only that I haven't seen much of that in recent years. But I now have one alpha bird who is defending the peanut butter "cage" against most comers. Interestingly, the Mockingbird seems to permit feeding by very small birds such as the Brown Headed Nuthatches and Ruby Crowned Kinglets. I observed these species freely approach and depart. However, the Mocker definitely resisted better paired opponents like the Yellow Rumped Warblers and Eastern Bluebirds. These birds could sometimes get in a bite, but were far more often snapped at and chased away. I'm not too concerned with all of this. This is normal bird behavior at the most desirable food sources. What will be interesting to see is whether the Mocker can cope with the risk it has taken on during long perching sessions at the feeders. I have seen active Red Tailed Hawks in recent days. We shall see what comes.