The birds in our neighborhood have responded in various ways to my ongoing attempts at bonding with them. Some have reacted with fierce incredulousness, while others have expressed amused curiosity.

To summarize their reactions, the birds have asked me, “But why?” in three notable forms.

“But Why?”

The average neighborhood birdie is good-natured and tolerant of my photographic presence. Over the years, they’ve recognized my face and will pay me brief visits. Those moments have helped me vastly improve my photography skills!

American Robins

American robins are quite inquisitive, especially if they recognize that I respect avian boundaries. They’ll approach me on their own, quietly looking down at me with scrutiny. Silence is their reward for my good behavior.

A picture of a stern but silent American robin looking down from a branch.

Eastern Bluebirds

Eastern bluebirds are the friendliest of the neighborhood birds. They never have an angry word to offer, only a gentle “Chee-wee!” There are days when I wonder if they deliberately encourage me to take photos of them.

A male Eastern bluebird looking gently at the camera.

House Finches

House finches are like friendly, middle-aged couples who host barbecue parties for the neighborhood. While they can be reclusive, the ones who know me the best let me approach them closely for lucky shots.

A female house sparrow on a twig, seemingly smiling at the camera.

“But WHY?!”

While most of the birds in our neighborhood are friendly fellows, there are a couple of irritable exceptions. These birdies still can’t fathom why I love being around them, and it sounds like they’re demanding explanations when they see me with my camera.

Red-Winged Blackbirds

Red-winged blackbirds are known for being aggressively territorial. They’re the wariest of the neighborhood birds, and usually express stern distrust towards me. That attitude makes it all the sweeter when individual red-wings pause to contemplate my adoration of them.

A male red-winged blackbird on a telephone wire, caught mid-scold.

Male House Sparrows

Male house sparrows are hysterically anxious birds. They don’t like to stay in one place for too long, especially if they see people walking nearby. Occasionally, they’ll pause to observe me for a few precious seconds.

A young male house sparrow peeking at the camera from behind green leaves.

“But, Why Not?”

The friendly, the aloof, and the superstars. That’s one way to categorize our neighborhood birds! This third category is dedicated to the birds who openly love the attention I give them.

Gray Catbirds

Gray catbirds have contradictory personalities. They prefer to sing loudly, but only when covered in dense foliage. But if they know you love their songs, they’ll come out and give you a front-row performance!

A gray catbird showing off his feathers while sunning on a tree branch.

Song Sparrows

Song sparrows are an unusually bold exception to the typical shyness of sparrows. They choose conspicuous spots like the top of backyard bushes to sing from and keenly remember those who stop to listen. For this reason, I’ve bonded with the song sparrows the most out of all the birds in our neighborhood!

A male song sparrow looking boldly at the camera.

The Odd Ones Out

Most of the birds are easy to categorize. However, there are a few that are genuine wild cards. Their personalities vary heavily based on the individual, and their moods can be unpredictable. That’s what makes being around them so much fun!

Crows

Oh, how I love our neighborhood crows. They’re the birds that have been the most openly amused by my camera antics. Sometimes, they’re so tickled that they’ll visit me up close, surprising me and my neighbors.

An unusually happy, friendly crow looking down at the camera from a cable.

Female House Sparrows

Female house sparrows are far bolder than the males. When male sparrows fly away, they linger behind, seemingly posing for the camera.

A young female house sparrow looking curiously at the camera.

American Goldfinches

I rarely get to see American goldfinches up close. They’re almost always flying away, singing, “Per-chic-o-ree!” They’re incredibly introverted, but if they decide to inspect me, they’ll be quite bold about it.

A portrait of a male American goldfinch looking boldly at the camera while on a drying thistle flower.

Northern Cardinals

Ohio’s state bird is stoic, but not unfriendly. These crimson beauties prefer to observe me from afar and act like stern butlers if I act “impolite” in their eyes.

A male cardinal looking at the camera.

The most profound moment I’ve ever had with the cardinals was when one male suddenly appeared over my head and sang my favorite cardinal song for me:

I believe that this male had noticed me filming him while singing this song a year prior, and decided to put on a show for me. Given how secluded cardinals are, this moment was incredibly profound.

Thank You to the Birds

The birds in our neighborhood ensure that no two days are the same. Their unique personalities and quirks never fail to make me smile, even on the gloomiest of Ohio days.

I’m grateful for all of them, even the cranky red-winged blackbirds. While they may never cuddle up to me, the few times they’ve simply observed me in silence will forever warm my heart.

A male red-winged blackbird looking quietly at the camera.

All Images and Video by Connor Brennan

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