Source
r/AustralianBirds•
GunPoison

An important scientific study: What birds love a hose shower? (Preliminary results)

When I'm filling up the birdbath each day I offer a hose shower to any birds hanging around. Here are the results so far (P>0.05).

Bloody love a hose shower: Magpie, Noisy Miner, Red Wattlebird, Satin Bowerbird.

Likes a shower but usually too dumb to go where the water is: Crested Pigeon

No thanks: Cockatoo, Crimson Rosella, Currawong.

OMG YOU MONSTER WHAT ARE YOU DOING: King Parrot, Noisy Friarbird, Eastern Rosella.

Posted Mar 17, 2022, 6:24 AM UTC

8113
chillawong•

Very important research, thank you for your contribution to science o7

20
Wallace_B•

Beautiful work. Do you turn down the spray to the finest mist level? That's important. If the spray is fine and you point it upwards so the water falls like a very soft rain instead of spraying directly at the critters, you can get surprising results.

The rosella isnt a surprise but this info is helpful anyway because if i ever see a rosella again i would be doing everything possible to avoid scaring it off.

I also spray other critters using the same technique and find most of them welcome a shower, especially in hotter and drier periods.

Wallabies and possums will enjoy a couple of minutes of close spray and then move off shaking drops out of their fur a bit like a dog. Frogs will sit still and go all quiet once they get hit with the water, but geckoes will instantly slink away once water hits them. Some spiders will sit still and let the water fall shiny drops over them, others start scurrying around to escape them. I make sure all the beautiful orb webs are outlined with jewel like droplets, their owners dont mind too much.

19
GunPoisonOP•

I'm definitely a fine mist drizzler, I figure they don't have a lot of experience with water outside of rain so why confuse them. I aim it above the birdbaths and let them decide to come or not. Interestingly the Miners often like to fly straight into the stream up close and get a concentrated blast.

17
Wallace_B•

Magpies and wattle birds also love those back and forth lawn sprinklers and will even jump through the jets to get properly soaked, I'm sure miners would too. Crested and wonga pigeons like to hang out at the far edge of the spray and let it hit the undersides of their wings.

11
catsineveryonespants•

I hope you receive the funding needed to continue this important research

13
fiionabee•

The last part is very important category yes. And I can totally see king parrots being like that. Such attitudes.

8
GunPoisonOP•

They are the biggest sooks. Get all dramatic and emotional if I dare fill up the birdbaths, ugh.

7
idunnosg•

We have Yellow Thornbills that love playing under the sprinkler when it’s on. They are very cute and musical.

3
GunPoisonOP•

That is awesome! I only ever see them in passing around here, they move quickly. I think they need to be alert as we have a ton of currawongs.

1
Blackletterdragon•

The Magpies wouldn't let the Currowongs get near the water even if they really really promised play nicely. Not too keen on those pigeons either, but that's mainly prejudice.

2
AussieAnon56•

Are we talking cute little crested pigeons or big ugly invasive rock doves? Wonga pigeons are my gaveourote pigeon.

1
Blackletterdragon•

The crested ones, who make that whirring noise when they take off. Sometimes they seem to be tolerated OK, but then one of them gets too confident or something and they all have to leave the party. The juvenile maggies are likely to cause more trouble for them than the mature ones.

1
GunPoisonOP•

These are the native pigeons, luckily we don't see many introduced species

1