Avian Turf Wars: Defending a Territory

Episode 7 of The Scientific Wonder of Birds

Witness the complex nature of competition among birds. Study "display" behavior, which sends a message regarding territory, courtship, or perceived threats. Observe the ways in which birds defend territory, for breeding and feeding, nesting and roosting. Note how territorial defense is highly ritualized and uses a series of recognized signals, and how birds' territoriality enhances survival.