Urban birds apparently find European women more alarming than men, according to a report on the Phys.org website.
A multinational team of ornithologists discovered that species like tits, sparrows, and thrushes depart more swiftly when approached by a female. This study took place across the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Poland, and Spain. The researchers selected male and female participants who were matched for height and build, dressing them in identical attire. These individuals walked in a straight line along park paths while the ornithologists observed and quantified the birds’ responses.
The evidence showed that men could approach the avian subjects to within approximately one meter. However, birds took flight considerably sooner when a woman was traversing the park. Out of the 37 species examined, magpies were the first to flee, while pigeons allowed women the closest proximity. The scientists concluded that birds possess the ability to discern human gender, though the specifics of what deters them about women remain unclear.
The study’s contributors proposed several potential explanations for this observed differential behavior. One hypothesis suggests that birds react differently to the pheromones emitted by individuals of the different sexes. Other theories center on variations in the physical silhouette or gait associated with males and females, though the ornithologists cautioned that these remain speculative ideas.
“We have documented a phenomenon, but the underlying reasons are not yet understood. Nevertheless, the findings of our research strikingly validate the remarkable capacity birds have for analyzing their surroundings,” summarized Professor Federico Morelli of the University of Turin.
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