I agree, they're too smart!House Sparrows are some of the smartest birds in my parts. I have bird feeders that attract a number of native species like jays, cardinals, juncos, woodpeckers, and even robins that don't mind when I'm watching them through the sliding porch door to the feeder which is about 12 yards away. When the house sparrows are around it's as if their spidey sense kicks in and they scatter like roaches at the whiff of me coming to the sliding porch door. I have to observe them from another window and not make too much movement or they'll sound the alert. Many times the only way to even get them to stay when I'm around is to already be ready for them by staying very still in the dark corner of the room.
These birds have learned over time that they are the only species that are not allowed at my feeding stations and have learned to watch all the windows of my house for any silhouette of a man. They even have have guard duties for birds that solely watch the windows while the other ones feed and they know how to work around the clock when I'm not around. I can see on the bird feeder cameras that they know when the best time to feed is when I'm at work, I've even put a "scarecrow" of me by the window to see if that'll keep them away while I'm at work and they've learned to watch me leave in the morning and know they're safe. As much as I don't like these birds I have to say these birds are truly a worthy adversary for our ongoing war.
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