[Posted by Chuck Almdale, submitted by Edna Alvarez]

Are birds scared of women? The study that’s taken flight on social media
UCLA Newsroom | Alison Hewitt | 20 May 2026

Excerpt:
“Researchers studying the effects of human behavior on urban birds found that men could get about three feet closer to birds before the animals fled than women could. According to their findings, published in the British Ecological Society journal, the results held true for more than 2,500 birds from 37 species, and across seven European cities in France, Germany, Spain, Poland and the Czech Republic. From pigeons to crows, robins to blackbirds, all were quicker to flee from women than men.“

Editor’s comment: Just a wild guess, but perhaps it’s because women generally take better care of their teeth and smile more than men, and birds view bared teeth as a predator’s threat. I know I feel uneasy whenever sharks, crocodiles, bears and lions stare at me and slowly approach, smiling all the while. Read the article for all the details.