This is bird note.

Take a walk in a temperate

take a walk into temperate woodland this month and you might hear this chorus.

A closer look and listen reveal that this foraging flock includes several species of birds,

chickadees, kinglets, and even a downy woodpecker.

Many bird species eat alone,

so you might wonder why these birds have chosen to dine together.

Different species flocking together to find food, called commensal feeding, mutually enhances

success.

One species assists the foraging of others.

For example, in chickadee and woodpecker flocks, the woodpecker pecks off bark and

moss, exposing grubs for its own consumption.

But the pecking also stirs up flying insects that the chickadees swoop into snatch.

The relationship also helps the woodpecker because the extra eyes of the

chickadees are on the lookout for predators. The watchdog chickadees alert the

close focused woodpecker when there's danger.

Because these birds, foraging together, don't seek the same foods,

the result is cooperative or commensal rather than competitive feeding.

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at Bird Note Radio. Oh,

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