When forced to choose, some songbirds prefer the company of their mates to a good meal. Social living entails some compromise; that’s as true for birds as it is for people. Foraging in flocks often means that some birds get a little less food than they might by flying solo, but there is also safety in numbers: flocks provide better defense against predators and more eyes to watch for danger. For most, a little food for a lot of security is a worthwhile tradeoff. Some songbirds, it turns out, are willing to make even greater sacrifices for the sake of staying close to their mates. Great tits – small songbirds with yellow, black, and white feathers – seem perfectly willing to spend time at a feeder where they can’t get any food, in order to stay close to their mates who can eat there.
Oxford University zoologist Joshua Firth and ...
