Observations: Bird Feeders and Cooperation
My mother created a virtual aviary in her back yard.
She has so consistently offered bird seed to the ample species flying around her neighborhood that her home has become a popular avian hangout.
Upon visiting with her for an hour, we spotted collared doves, finches, scrub jays, and juncos. With the exception of some of the larger birds, these different species seem to cooperate in cleaning out the coffers of seed supply in various feeders placed in strategic locations to give my mom the best vantage points from her house without scaring away her visitors.
Between my mom and the many Utah bird species stopping by her home, the amount of cooperation is actually quite impressive.
The birds know that if they each take their turn patiently, they can get their fill and mom will provide a new supply.
As we know from our lives, these events could definitely go another way.
A select few in positions of influence could fend off one or all other species to make it so only, for example, the doves get a go at the spoils. This might payoff for the doves in the short term, but not respecting others who are different and may have different approaches to life would ultimately lead to all the other birds recognizing the doves as a threat to the great system the variety of birds have accomplished together.
Ok, I’m obviously taking this analogy a bit further than it’s capable, but alas, this is where my mind is today.
I hate that we live in a place where some feel they have the answers for everyone, and are willing to bully their way into their ideas becoming de facto law.
Trust me, my mom would not keep putting out bird seed if just one species of bird took over all her feeders.
It would make her little sport of bird-watching far less interesting.
It’s the collaboration of many species in the area that creates the beautiful confluence of wildlife so near my mom’s home.
I think our community will be all the more beautiful for all of us, from all different backgrounds, creeds, ideologies, and places, if we work together to reach solutions for the sum of us, not just for the elite some of us.