Over the past three years I have noticed the following RWB behavior at my
feeders.

I live in a narrow valley about 3 miles long about 25 miles west of
Spokane. There is a year-round creek running down the center and a couple
of marshy areas with reeds. I have lived here for 3 Springs. There are
different types of feeders all around, and one of the suet block holders is
on the willow in front of my house. This particular one lays flat against
the rough bark just below a wide crotch of the tree.

The first year I lived here there were no RWB. The second year they showed
up in large numbers (about 40-50). None of them paid any attention to the
suet block and contented themselves with the grains on the ground. When the
parents brought their juveniles to the scattered seed on the ground beneath
the tree, things started to get interesting. The juveniles paid a lot of
attention to the other birds eating from the block and scoured the ground
beneath for all the fallen crumbs. Finally, one adventurous youth started
hanging out in the crotch of the tree. Hopping, flapping, falling and
trying again, it finally found a position - hanging down with one claw
clutching the rough bark and the other planted on the top of the suet
holder - that would allow it to pull off large chunks. Soon a couple of
other juveniles were checking this out and imitating the pioneer. By then
it was time for the RWB to leave (they don't winter in this valley although
they do in areas close by). This year they flew directly to the suet block
and none of them that I could see showed any hesitancy - they just jumped
right in. Now the offspring of those RWBs are appearing at the suet block
and are doing the same. Obviously, the parents held a short Introduction to
Suet Block Feeders 101 immediately after fledging.

I LOVE this stuff!

Any similar stories about learned behaviour in RWBs would be greatly
appreciated.

Joanne Powell