Urban birds fear women more than men, scientists have found

When women approach, urban birds decide to move to a safe distance sooner than when men approach. This is the conclusion reached by an international team of biologists. The results of the study were published in the journal People and Nature (PN).

In the course of their work, the scientists studied the so-called flight initiation distance — the distance a bird considers sufficient for retreating when a person approaches. The experiment was conducted in five European countries: the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Poland, and Spain. Both men and women of the same height, dressed in a similar manner, participated. They were asked to walk slowly in a straight line toward birds in urban parks and green spaces.

The analysis showed that in all cases, birds reacted sooner to the approach of women. On average, the birds allowed men to get approximately one meter closer before flying away. This pattern proved consistent and was observed across all 37 species studied. In total, the scientists conducted 2,701 measurements.

The reasons for this behavior remain unclear for now. The researchers suggest that differences in scent, movement patterns, or other behavioral cues that birds are able to detect may play a role. However, these explanations require further investigation.

The authors emphasize that the data obtained are important for understanding the interaction between wildlife and humans in urban environments. In the future, the scientists plan to study in greater detail the factors influencing bird reactions in order to more precisely explain the differences identified.