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dent just described — again near noon — I looked through the window and wondered at the lack of birds at the feeder. Then I saw a female cardinal perched absolutely motionless in the privet; just below was a junco, also still. It had taken some time to separate the two birds from the pattern of branches and dull-green foliage. I marveled at the camouflage; the birds seemed a part of the privet.
As long as they remained still, they would not be detected by the hawk that was again intent on a meal.
In my years of bird-feeder watching, I have seen this strange freezing behavior a number of times. Once, near McLean, five goldfinches were busy pulling thistle seed from a plastic tube feeder. Several hung upside down.
In an instant, all froze in that position and remained so for fully 15 minutes.
Other than trying to outrun or out-fly a predator, freezing is most likely to preserve life.
During the great blizzard of January 1996, a Sharpshinned Hawk arrived with
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