Urban birds in Europe take flight earlier when approached by women than when approached by men, according to a multi-country study published this month.
The findings suggest that wild birds may perceive specific gender-related cues from humans. This interaction highlights how urban wildlife adapts its survival instincts based on the perceived threat level of different human demographics.
Researchers conducted the study in urban parks and streets across multiple European cities. The team observed 37 different bird species [2] and recorded more than 2,700 encounters [1] to determine how the animals responded to human presence.
The data indicates that birds show stronger fear responses toward women. Researchers said the birds appear to perceive cues related to gender, which could be linked to differences in human appearance or behavior.
While the study highlights a consistent pattern across the observed species, the researchers focused on the flight initiation distance, the distance at which a bird decides to fly away from a human. The results showed that this distance was generally greater when the human was a woman.
Some reports on the study have provided conflicting accounts regarding which gender triggers a faster response. However, the primary findings from the multi-country research indicate that women are the group that birds flee from more quickly.
“Urban birds take flight earlier when approached by women than when approached by men.”
This study suggests that urban birds do not view all humans as identical threats. By distinguishing between genders, birds may be utilizing subtle visual or behavioral markers to assess risk. This adds to the broader understanding of urban ecology and how wildlife evolves its behavioral responses to live alongside human populations in dense city environments.
