Oxford Bird's Eating Habits

Relevance
In researching, Robert Burton stated in North American Handbook that trees were the most important feature for attracting birds. He also found that it is more difficult to attract birds in a structured place, birds prefer weeds. Certain birds like open spaces for feeding, for example, Killdeer. Soil at the edges of the lawn are useful to seed eaters. This evidence leads to a broader question regarding human knowledge. How does food relate to behavior? And why? Eating and behavioral patterns can be paralleled between humans and birds. By using birds as an example of nature, we can further our understanding of ourselves.
Materials and Methods
Our experimental design was to place sixteen bird feeders, four in four locations, to observe eating trends of birds. The first set of bird feeders were placed at the edge of the woods between Peabody and Boyd. This was monitored and recorded by Malika. The next set was located in the open field by Mary Lyon. This site was observed by Lene. The following set was placed deep within the woods behind Kumler, and John ventured back there with notebook in hand. The last set was placed by the pond where Katie sat with the swans and watched birds. These locations were chosen to show the results of the most diverse areas possible.
There are a wide variety of feeder types suitable for all tastes and situations, since making them is much more fun and affordable to college students, that was our course of action. Feeders bring birds up from the grass and out from the cover of trees and shrubs, giving us the opportunity to observe their excitement as they eat. We made the feeders out of empty milk/water jugs and hung them from the trees. We poured the seeds out of the feeder and weighed the volumes in grams. We then filled the feeder up to a certain volume each time to ensure accurate results. The four types of food that we used were bread scraps, suet, sunflower seeds, and a commercial mix. The temperature outside will was taken, times of observations noted, and food weights monitored. Observations were on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday (specific dates recorded). All of this was recorded in our data chart. With this method our results should have been accurate, until our feeders were interrupted by squirrels. Even though precautions were taken in our feeder design so that squirrels will not fit into the feeders, some outsmarted us. Other ideas that were dismissed were: expanding to main campus (it has a different atmosphere than Western Campus), the use of one type of food (did not provide enough variety), purchasing feeders (which was too costly), and we decided to empty the feeders and weigh the food, as apposed to marking off the volumes on the sides of the jugs to make recording food levels easier. The feeder design could not make these accurate enough.
The day before the lab was presented the feeders were set to "full capacity".The day of the lab, the class was to be divided into groups and expected to travel to all four locations and help us collect data for that day. While present at the locations we hoped to experience the feeding process in action. By recording data at these sites, groups should have been able to identify the various species feeding at the time. our outside expectations were hindered by the weather on the day of our presentation. We improvised with presenting the information relying on the computer. Information concerning birding was generated in the lab packet. Song variations, color, flight patterns, and stalking techniques were explained. Also, the importance of quiet while birding was stressed.. A demonstration was given as to how to collect our data properly. The location, the date, the outside temperature, time, various species, the food used, and any other observations of interest was collected. It is always important to remember that birding is as much about the self as it is about the physical facts. We wanted students to record their feelings at the beginning of class, at the sites, and at the end of class.
Results:
We predicted that the edge of the woods would have the greatest activity among our feeders, despite interference. We also expected the commercial seed mix to be the most popular food among the birds, with the most consumption. Our estimations were correct, in that the feeders at the edge of the woods were the most active feeders. However, the activity was due in part by squirrels who had managed to ravage the feeders. Due to this, we decided to examine the results of the locations with and with out the data from the edge of the woods. Also, we were proven incorrect in our predictions that the commercial seed mix would be the most popular food among the birds. The end measurements show that the sunflower seed was the food most widely consumed.
Using the statistic programs Statview and Supernova, we compared our variables, keeping constant our null hypothesis that there would be no significant difference among them. The temperature correctly followed our assumption, creating no significant difference. This graph (See Graph A) shows the comparison of the temperatures that we categorized into warm- temperatures above 70 degrees, mild- temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees, cool- temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees, and cold- temperatures below 50 degrees. This shows although they did eat the most when it was cold, which is to be expected, the difference was not enough to be significant.
No individual day was significantly different either according to this graph and test (See Graph B). Feeding activity did increase slightly as time went on and the birds became accustomed to the feeders.
Our most surprising test was the different types of food (See Graph C). Where sunflower seed was preferred by the birds by far, it was not great enough to appear as so in the data. The p-value was .0669 showing that there was no significant difference.
The one variable that did disprove our null hypothesis was our comparison of the locations. Its p-value was only .0001. This difference is almost apparent just from the looks of the graph (See Graph D). The locations each had so many outside particular circumstances that there is definitely a difference. It is apparent that the edge greatly surpassed the activity in any other location and the field was surprisingly inactive.
Discussion and Conclusion:
In conclusion, this project overall heightened our awareness in Ornithology. We discovered, in just one month, the particular eating habits of the birds on Western campus. Surprisingly, we concluded that birds can be just as selective in their eating habits as humans are. Although there were a few complications, our data has revealed a whole new understanding of these creatures. This project could produce even more accurate results if retested over a longer period of time with more secure feeders. We look forward to continue filling our bird feeders with food for Oxford's birds, perhaps now staring a new Western campus tradition.
Literature Cited:
Beyond the Bird Feeder By: John V. Dennis
A Guide to the Behavior of Common Birds By: Donald W. Stokes
Birding in Ohio By: Tom Thomson
North American Birdfeeder Handbook By: Robert Burton
Bird Behavior By: Robert Burton
Bird Watch By: Bates Littlehales
America's Favorite Backyard Birds By: Kit and George Harrison

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