Urban birds fly away sooner from women than men

Urban birds tend to take flight earlier when approached by women than by men, according to a study titled "Sex matters: European urban birds flee approaching women sooner than approaching men", AzerNEWS reports.

The international research team examined flight initiation distance (FID)—the point at which a bird decides to flee from an approaching person. The study was carried out in urban parks and green spaces across Czechia, France, Germany, Poland, and Spain.

To ensure consistent results, the researchers recruited male and female participants of similar height wearing comparable clothing. They were instructed to walk slowly toward birds in a straight line while scientists recorded the distance at which the birds flew away.

According to the research, birds consistently reacted sooner to women, allowing men to approach about one meter closer on average before taking flight. The pattern was observed across 37 bird species and was based on more than 2,700 observations.

The researchers note that the reasons behind this behavior remain unclear. They suggest that subtle differences, such as scent, movement, or other behavioral cues, may influence how birds respond to people, although further research is needed to confirm these possibilities.

The authors say the findings contribute to a better understanding of interactions between humans and wildlife in urban environments and could help guide future research on animal behavior.