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[CULTURE] · Czechia, France, Germany, Poland, Spain · 3 sources

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Urban birds show greater fear of women than men in multi-country study

urban birds flight initiation distance animal behavior People and Nature journal ornithology

An international research team has discovered that urban birds, including pigeons, house sparrows, and blackbirds, tend to fly away sooner when approached by women than by men. The study, published in the journal People and Nature, was conducted across five European countries: Czechia, France, Germany, Poland, and Spain.

Researchers measured the flight initiation distance—the proximity at which an animal flees a potential predator. On average, men were able to approach birds approximately one meter closer than women before the birds took flight. The study examined 37 different bird species, finding consistent patterns across various urban environments.

While the findings suggest that city birds can distinguish between human sexes, scientists have not yet determined the specific characteristics driving this behavior. Potential theories include differences in body shape, chemical signals, or walking patterns, but a conclusive explanation remains unknown.

Entities

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague · Daniel Blumstein · People and Nature · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Turin

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Sources

Les oiseaux craignent davantage les femmes que les hommes, révèle une étude menée dans cinq pays [trustmyscience.com]
Pássaros têm mais medo de mulheres do que de homens, mas, até agora, ninguém sabe o porquê [extra.globo.com]
Birds are more afraid of women than men. Scientists have no idea why [www.sciencedaily.com]