The Drunken Lizard Pub

IJBall wrote:I suspect it's the kind of thing you could only implement at one or two points in the gameworld...

Absolutely. I see a puzzle element in this. Once you've figured out the birds leave you alone when you don't have food you've solved a small puzzle - you might have received a hint of someone towards the solution, but not more than that.
Even though the puzzle element is thin, you still don't want it at different places on the same map.

But it's normal for creatures only to appear in a certain spot on the map; the Rift Harpies for example, who would be the perfect pick for this role of bird-guard, only appeared in one area in book II as well.