Do wild animals actually ask humans for food?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (220229)
Walnut Creek, California
April 14, 2019 12:21pm CST
I was sitting at my desk just now when I heard a peep coming from outside. It was a friendly peep (totally unlike the alarm peep of a ground squirrel), but it also had the sound of "where are you?" to it. It was repeated every six seconds or so.
I went to investigate and saw a single bird perched on my balcony railing. She (her coloration was a dull brown, so I'm going with "she") was sitting precisely where I had placed some bird seed the day before. She was facing my window, and looking left, right, and straight ahead. She did not fly away when she saw me.
As I went to the kitchen to get some more bird seed for the balcony, I wondered if the bird (I'm not sure what kind it was) was really "asking" for more tasty bird seed, or whether she was looking for her bird friends.
Do you think there are "universals" in animal communication? We all know that a horse's nicker sounds friendly, that a direct stare from an animal, or bared incisors, is threatening, and that our kitties train us to feed them by rubbing against our legs and purring. Might that bird really have been asking for more tasty seeds?
The photo is of me and a dazed and confused bird that had (if I recall correctly) flown into my friend Michael's window. She eventually got her senses back and flew off.
19 people like this
19 responses
@Namelesss (3365)
• United States
14 Apr 19
I do think wild animals will ask for food. I remember a few years ago I kept a feeder near my front porch and the birds would flock to it even if we were right there with 2 feet. One morning I heard a tapping on my sliding glass door leading to the porch. When I pulled back the curtain 3 little baby birds were sitting in a row on the sill tapping the glass and looking right at me. I got seed and went out. They patiently waited for me to fill the feeder and dove in like starving cats.
3 people like this
@Torunn (8607)
• Norway
15 Apr 19
@TheHorse I went to a bird show at a castle once. They had falconers and different birds of prey, and said that owls are actually quite stupid compared to other birds of prey, but really smart compared to ostriches. Doves I think are pretty smart.
And most birds aren't afraid of horses :-) When I go riding the birds come so much closer than when I walk. So close my late horse Oskar and I once crashed with a duck. Oskar didn't like that, ducks were the one thing he was afraid of. Didn't react when a flock of swans passed 1-2 meters over our heads.
2 people like this
@xander6464 (44417)
• Wapello, Iowa
16 Apr 19
I think animals know a lot more than we give them credit for so that bird may have been directly trying to communicate with you.
2 people like this
@xander6464 (44417)
• Wapello, Iowa
16 Apr 19
@TheHorse I really think that they do.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220229)
• Walnut Creek, California
16 Apr 19
@xander6464 I just checked. The smaller seeds are gone now. I won't put any more out there until I receive a "request."
2 people like this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
15 Apr 19
we have 2 seagulls who come to the breakfast room when i'm on..they both light up with the begging if they see i'm working that day.
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
16 Apr 19
@TheHorse it depends on what we have that day.
they seem to like strawberries strangly enough.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (182193)
• United States
14 Apr 19
I think animals can be conditioned to do a variety of things.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (108144)
• Marion, Ohio
14 Apr 19
I think they learn too. I dont feed the birds here. But some looked lost when mom and dad passed away. There was no one feeding them there anymore.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (108144)
• Marion, Ohio
15 Apr 19
@TheHorse My mom and dad is who I meant. The birds were all adults. The guy that bought the place doesnt feed them and I had stopped before that.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220229)
• Walnut Creek, California
15 Apr 19
@wolfgirl569 I am confused. ll hat matters is keeping the birds fed.
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Apr 19
I think animals become littler beggars.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (35733)
•
15 Apr 19
I believe they do. I have a group of different birds who wait for me to fill the feeder with a few peanuts. Every day when I go into my backyard I am serenaded with sounds from Cardinals, Blue Jays, Nuthatches and chickadees who await some treats. Once I deposit the goodies and return inside they take turns looting the feeder!
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (35733)
•
17 Apr 19
@TheHorse Perhaps both, but I do know squirrels love sunflower seeds 
@DocAndersen (54402)
• United States
16 Jun 19
Animals seem to know that humans like constant!
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
14 Jun 19
i believe they do when such's been provided 'fore. they then see such's a food/waterin' hole. the birds here'll sure gimme the what-fer if'n their feeders 're empty. a few years back i'd e'en a lil hummer that kept comin' to the window 'n hovin' a bit frantic. i'd jest cleaned/filled the feeder so 'twas 'nsure the troubles. went out'n a huge prayin' mantis 'twas'n said feeder (they'll catch/kill 'n eat the lil hummers). took me a bit to get that mantis off 'n moved elsewhere'n my lil sanctuary. she tore me a new'un (looked's though i'd been'n a cat fight), but such 'twas successful. the lil hummer came 'n sat'n the edge 'f my hat 'n then took to feedin'. the rest'f the summer, whene'er i 'twas out, she'd come'n visit.
my sweet momma don't feed bird seed (she's a hummer feeder though), but's 4 diff'rent bird baths. the birds (from sparrows to robins to e'en bluejays) 're quick to let'er know they wish more water. they come'n to the patio doors 'n peck 'n peck, lol. they do such'n the winter if'n they've frozen o'er, too.
@1creekgirl (41744)
• United States
14 Apr 19
I believe animals and birds (are birds animals?) are often more intelligent than we realize.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (117141)
• Anniston, Alabama
14 Apr 19
Yes I do. While I do not buy food for the birds I do give out breads and they eat the cat and dog feed.
I have a vegetable garden so I do not place food out daily, I do not want bird attention, although I love them and at one time or another in life wished I were a bird so I could just fly away and get free food from men like you. LOL. 
1 person likes this
