Bird Territory

[Moonhead]

Not sure how to word this question, I know what I want to say, but don't know how to say it! :) Basically, do garden birds have territories? I bought a bird feeder in early autumn, and have many visitors to it every day, but it always seems to be the same birds. 1 Robin, 1 blue tit, one that looks like a blue tit, but it's bigger and has a black head not a blue one, a pair of collared doves, Mr and Mrs Blackbird, 2 song thrushes, and a gang of finches and sparrows. I'm adamant that it's the same group of birds that visit every day, but my other half says that it'll be different birds all the time. So does anyone know if it is the same set of birds, i.e that they have their own territory (my courtyard) or whether birds do just fly about on a wide range and stop wherever? Sorry about the long winded-ness! Moony :)

[wildwood]

The one with a black head is probably a Great tit. Most of your regular avian visitors to your bird feeder will be the same ones.

Many birds have a territory, although the size varies according to the time of the year, species and/or food supply. These territories are generally guarded only to exclude others of the same species.
Most birds only hold a territory during the breeding season, this may include mid to late winter when the pair needs maximum food to build up condition. With a warm spring, which generates an abundance of insects, territories are generally smaller which allows more pairs of one species to breed.

[TommyC]

'Fraid your other half is mistaken - the majority of birds you see feeding at the table every day will indeed be the same ones - very often at much the same time each day - and they will be nesting locally and scouting a fairly small area several times a day food. Virtually all birds are territorial up to a point, especiallly when food is scarce, even choosing a favourite perch for their resting periods and noisily chasing away any greedy newcomers to their "patch". Although I've never yet seen it, my neighbours insist that very early many mornings, our garden is still visited by the same heron from the local park, that comes to inspect the pond briefly for the fish that USED to live in it several years ago...!! If you think about it, the same-looking single robin, or distinctive same-coloured huge wood-pigeon day after day can't realistically be part of a set of identical unconnected "travellers"...!! Happy bird-watching...