Have you ever wondered if the birds at your bird feeders remember you? Do birds remember us? The research is clear and documented: birds do recognize human faces and voices. They can even differentiate between us. Here’s what we know.

Birds Remember Your Face

Although many wild birds have been documented, both scientifically and anecdotally, to recognize humans, certain birds are more known for it. Crows, magpies, pigeons, robins, mockingbirds, and jackdaws have some of the most well-documented cases of facial recognition.

Remarkably, crows (known as some of the most intelligent birds) not only remember people’s faces, but respond to facial expressions. Pigeons know who you are even after you change clothes, and are more likely to get out of your way if you’ve shooed them in the past. And magpies remember faces for years—and the actions that go with those faces. For instance, people who’ve ventured too close to a magpie nesting site in the past might get swooped the next time the bird sees them. On the flip side, people that leave them food and water have made a magpie friend for life.

Birds Remember Your Kindness

From hanging bird feeders to planting native berry bushes to setting up bird houses and nest boxes, acts of kindness are not forgotten by birds. In fact, they will often frequent places where they know they’re welcome. And some wild birds, including the friendly American Robin, pay close attention to your schedule of filling up feeders and refreshing your birdbath. In fact, many people who feed their backyard birds report that they have an uncanny knack for knowing when the feeder has just been filled. That’s because birds don’t forget a reliable food or water source. It’s also because of their excellent senses: wild birds listen for water trickling, and search with their impressive eyesight for the smallest of seeds (and for birds gathering and feeding). So the next time you think your small act of filling a bird feeder has gone unnoticed, think again!

Birds Remember—and Dislike—Eye Contact

We’re often told to look people in the eye—whether it’s on a date, in a job interview, or meeting a new friend. But in the wild bird world, direct eye contact signals danger. That’s because it mimics the gaze that a predator has on its prey. So when humans look directly at a bird, or even in their direction, birds take note. One UK study by the University of Bristol  found that starlings kept away from their food dish if a human was gazing in its direction, only to feed as soon as the human looked elsewhere.

Crows, too, are very responsive to human eye contact. Research shows that when humans gaze directly at crows, they fly away with greater urgency than when humans approach them without a glance. Most birds don’t care for direct eye contact from humans, so if you’re looking to forge a bird bond, best avert your gaze.

Bird and Human Friendships

We know that birds have brains and they also have emotions. So, is it possible that they can also be friends with us humans? While there are many instances of pet birds sharing a bond with their human “parents,” what about wild birds?

There are many stories of people who seemed to have befriended wild birds, often after rescuing the bird from danger.