A great Tit was moving along the cable in our courtyard at day break today. It walked, hopped and flew short distances during the movement along about twenty meters. The light conditions were not suitable to have better photographs at my current level of skills.
Its hopping movement was oft repeated. It took a 360 degree view by turning around before it hopped each time.
I notice this hopping movement in some birds. However inspecting the environment before it did by turning around to look was special to this Tit.
Is it a habitual and conditioned behaviour! Or is it a developmental transition! The younger birds hop more than the older birds for whom walking and flying are more natural to them?
The small birds like Tailor birds and Sun birds are swift in the movements. They convey a 'fidgety' state although it is unkind to think of them that way. The small birds have to be swift as the bigger birds can sometimes harass them.
All of us have natural and acquired behaviours. Our innate or natural behaviour is inherent to our temperament. The acquired behaviours are adaptations to function optimally in different situations.
One thought that crossed my mind while watching this Great Tit and its movement behaviour was the confidence and precision it exercised. It had a pattern and a direction.
How a small bird functions admirably to accomplish what it intends to do!
I was left with a message how birds of the air carry a 'bagful of practical wisdom'!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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