Our town has a monopoly supermarket that is really customer oriented. Some of the features are that in spite of state laws prohibiting the presence of dogs, uh, mutts, some customers bring in their pets into the store by brushing right past anyone who may raise an objection. It provides food for not only the human customer but also the birds of the neighborhood. Where are we? We are not in a Mexican town bordering Texas, where even cattle could roam in and look around and probably not even be noticed. No, its not that kind of market, it does have doors which are usually closed and opened only automatically when a customer approaches the door.
But what about the birds?
Take a studied look at parking lots where cars arrive having driven through a lot of bugs and you see Grackles greeting each newly arrived car and immediately going to the front end of the car to inspect it for any fresh bugs that may be plastered on the frame or grille. Their beady eyes know just what to look for and where. They know the front of the car from the back of the car, because the front is where the bugs are going to be found.
Birds are a lot smarter and more trainable than you would think. Well, some are and some aren't---kind of describes all animals including us humans.
In this supermarket, there is a small seating area where people can enjoy a cup of coffee, a muffin or doughnut. The eating area is about the size of a small house and is just off the entrance from these main doors that open and shut automatically. The grackles have learned three things: One is that there are food scraps on the floor and tables. The birds have learned that this area is not really a restaurant per se, but more of a customer convenience and so does not get cleaned and bussed often, at least not while we are ever there. Secondly, the birds have learned the routine of the doors. After some experience they know that they will not be trapped inside the building should the doors not open. Besides, this would not be a bad place to be trapped wherein they would have food, water and all the comforts a bird would need---even air conditioning. Thirdly, they have learned what a lot of people have learned with regard to laws. It doesn't matter if you break the law. Here the law is that birds are not allowed in the store. But no one seems to care, what the heck, this store has the flavor of little Mexico.
So, what is the routine of the birds? A customer arrives, and that being frequently, a bird flies in on a long arc and heads directly to the food scrap area. It walks around the floor picking up beakfulls of food, and not finding enough on the floor so then it walks around on the tables to look for more. Then with a beak full of food, and keeping an eye on the doors, times his exit flight to exactly hit the doorway at the full open time and out it goes. This regular tripping is more pronounced when the birds have nests in the trees of the parking lot where they must be feeding their young. Just think about it, young birds raised on people food scraps makes for the next generation of birds that instinctively know where the doors are and how to time their entrance and exit.
But what about the birds?
Take a studied look at parking lots where cars arrive having driven through a lot of bugs and you see Grackles greeting each newly arrived car and immediately going to the front end of the car to inspect it for any fresh bugs that may be plastered on the frame or grille. Their beady eyes know just what to look for and where. They know the front of the car from the back of the car, because the front is where the bugs are going to be found.
Birds are a lot smarter and more trainable than you would think. Well, some are and some aren't---kind of describes all animals including us humans.
In this supermarket, there is a small seating area where people can enjoy a cup of coffee, a muffin or doughnut. The eating area is about the size of a small house and is just off the entrance from these main doors that open and shut automatically. The grackles have learned three things: One is that there are food scraps on the floor and tables. The birds have learned that this area is not really a restaurant per se, but more of a customer convenience and so does not get cleaned and bussed often, at least not while we are ever there. Secondly, the birds have learned the routine of the doors. After some experience they know that they will not be trapped inside the building should the doors not open. Besides, this would not be a bad place to be trapped wherein they would have food, water and all the comforts a bird would need---even air conditioning. Thirdly, they have learned what a lot of people have learned with regard to laws. It doesn't matter if you break the law. Here the law is that birds are not allowed in the store. But no one seems to care, what the heck, this store has the flavor of little Mexico.
So, what is the routine of the birds? A customer arrives, and that being frequently, a bird flies in on a long arc and heads directly to the food scrap area. It walks around the floor picking up beakfulls of food, and not finding enough on the floor so then it walks around on the tables to look for more. Then with a beak full of food, and keeping an eye on the doors, times his exit flight to exactly hit the doorway at the full open time and out it goes. This regular tripping is more pronounced when the birds have nests in the trees of the parking lot where they must be feeding their young. Just think about it, young birds raised on people food scraps makes for the next generation of birds that instinctively know where the doors are and how to time their entrance and exit.
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