A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.

18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.

Thursday 25 November 2010

A Little Birdie Told Me So! Learn to understand & pay attention.

Most animals have a way of communicating danger to other animals, and that includes us humans. The Blackbird in the British Isles is a typical example, and I will bet that many a deer hunter in Scotland has cursed them for it. But you should learn to understand these warning signals, and pay attention to it. I was just outside picking some fresh greens for my lunch. I was just about to reach into the garlic chives when a Fairy Wren nearby gave its warning signal that there was a snake. I pulled back just in time as the red bellied black came out of the chives!
And yes, I did thank the Fairy Wren.

A female fairy wren.

Red belly black.

5 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

You're absolutely right. I've sat in the woods a few times and tracked the progress of trespassers through my woods, not by their footsteps, but by the noise the birds and squirrels made.

David R. Reid said...

We get a lot of them around here too and I certainly would'nt want to get bitten by one but it's the Tiger snakes around here that have always caused me the most concern. Still the black is the more sinister looking I think. Cheers Dave

http://davesact.com

Keith said...

I agree Dave, and the blacks will eat other young more dangerous snakes too. But when you are alone and a long way from town, any snake bite is one to be avoided. We lost one of our dogs to a tiger snake.

Unknown said...

good post,i showed the other morning a black bird chip chipping to warn of an owl..my best alarm is the jay,hes so paraniod he lets nothing move without having to tell himself about it. lol

murphyfish said...

An interesting post Keith, and your right about the Blackbirds over here, there's been many an instance in my back yard when a Blackbird's shrill alarm has signalled the swoop of a Sparrow hawk intent on its dinner.
Regards,
John