Tell us your most memorable bird behavior observations

Here's one to get us started:

One late afternoon I was wandering around the Old Fish Hatchery (aka OFH), a wooded adjunct of White Rock Lake that has some ponds as well, when I just happened upon a Barred Owl. Hadn't known there were any living in the hatchery, so I was rather excited. Stood there staring at it -- it stood there staring at me. Then it took three steps to its left, leaned forward and upchucked a pellet! I'd heard about owl pellets, found owl pellets, but never before nor since have I seen an owl actually upchuck one.

May as well tell another owl story while I'm on the subject of owls. A couple of years ago somebody posted a note on the local Audubon chat page saying that an owl had taken up residence in their owl house and they were wondering if it was a Flammulated Owl (highly unlikely for Dallas). Some of us went by their house to check it out one evening. Turned out it was a young, gray morph, Eastern Screech Owl, whose remaining downy headfeathers had confused the person who'd posted the note.

We stood around watching it for about an hour. It stood in the entrance hole of the nest box, monitoring the decline of the sun and staring at us. When the sun dipped below the horizon, the owl came out, perched on a splint of wood that was nailed to the side of the nest box and proceeded to do owl calisthenics. Yup! First it stretched its right wing down and back, held it there for a moment, and returned it to resting position. Looked around. Did the same with the left wing. Looked around. Stretched both wings simultaneously forward over its head, held, and returned to resting position. Looked around some more. Then it repeated the entire sequence. Having gotten the kinks out, it flew to a branch, stayed there a minute or so, and then swooped off on its nightly hunting expedition. Can't you just imagine an owl calisthenics TV show for owls -- "Right wing now...and down...and back...and stre-e-e-etch...hold!... and return. Now the left wing......" We got a huge kick out of it.

My sister and I put up a screech owl house last week -- we're hoping, hoping, hoping an owl will move in before a squirrel does. Wish us luck!

wow... sounds fun,
what is the website name of the place that the note got posted on the local chat thing???

birdboi

The Dallas Audubon chat website is now here, birdboi, but it replaces a different one we used to have, so the info about the owl is no longer available:

http://www.audubondallas.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=1&sid=2a434903f206273c7c0d7db632a4a89d

Here's another observation -- my last interesting one before the summer's heat started keeping me indoors:

In June a friend told me that there was a Killdeer's nest on the grounds of her son's high school and the eggs had hatched. I'd seen a baby Killdeer once in my life, running along the drive at my old office -- it was such a cute, long-legged, patterned ball of fluff that I wanted to see some again, so I took my sister and another friend and met her there. The babies had moved, but she'd found them for us and led us to them. I don't have enough zoom on my camera to have gotten a decent shot of them, so here's a web page with three photos of one of these little charmers:

http://www.backyardbirdcam.com/gallery/killdeer-juv.htm

Since they're precocial birds, like chickens and ducks, the babies have downy feathers and can run around and even start feeding themselves the day they hatch. Cute as buttons!

Well, the parents were keeping an eye on them, and when they saw us taking such an interest in them, one of the parents started performing the famous Killdeer distraction display in order to draw our attention away from the babies. I had read about this display before but never seen it, and I can tell you that it was most effective -- we watched the bird do it it three times!

The parent ran down a grassy slope, away from the babies, with both wings outstretched, crying its killdeah call to get our attention. It stopped at some distance from us, tilted its left wing down so the tip touched the ground, and fluttered its right wing as though it was trying to take off but couldn't because (we were supposed to think) the left wing was broken. Then it just flopped flat down on the ground with both wings outstretched, looking the very picture of total exhaustion and helplessness. We were entranced by this behavior, but when it was over and we started to turn around to find the babies again, the parent repeated the entire display. We watched it three times before turning our attention back to the babies. If only I owned a video camera! Here's a still shot from the web, though, of a Killdeer in the middle of performing such a display:

http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/images/Moreimages/killdeerext3.jpg

Afterwards, we went to see where the "nest" had been. It was right at the edge of a circle in the drive by the front door of the school, under a crepe myrtle tree, and was nothing but a slight depression in the ground, lined with pebbles and ringed (somewhat) by stones. It was difficult to find, or believe that it had been the nest. I did get a shot of that. Can you find the "nest"? It's that patch of small pebbles in the middle, just left of the tuft of grass. The birds evidently collected the pebbles. My friend told me that the larger stones moved closer and closer to the pebble patch as the days of egg incubation went by. The grounds of the school are not all dirt like that -- that's just part of the circle of dirt around the trunk of the crepe myrtle tree, whose base is at the top of the photo. The area outside the photo is lawn, and I heard that the mowers made a point of leaving an unmowed area near the nest as long as the birds were incubating the eggs.

Killdeer Nest (can't seem to get a lasting URL for the image, so here's a link to it):
http://tinyurl.com/chpj5

While we were standing there, we saw a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher finishing a nest in a small tree in a parking lot just down another slope below us. It was bringing pieces of what looked like fiberglass insulation to line the nest with (there was even a bit of the pink covering from the insulation in the nest). It would position a piece, then stand in the nest and turn around a couple of times to pack it down, and then sit as though it were testing to see if it was satisfied with the nest yet. It wasn't, so it kept flying off to wherever it was finding that insulation and bringing a new piece back.

All in all, one of my better days for catching interesting bird behavior.

[Note: edited to add photo and the text in italics above it.]

Well, gee -- I was hoping some of the other forum members would have some interesting bird behavior stories to tell, too! I hope my behavior stories are enticing some folks into realizing that watching what birds are doing can be rewarding, if they didn't aready know this. Of course, I catch the more memorable behaviors only on rare occasions, so I'm running out of stories, but here are two about gulls playing.

Gulls playing catch-the-wavecrest:

One unusually windy spring day, when the waves on the lake were a couple of feet high, I watched some gulls (Ring-bills and Bonapartes) engaged in an activity that puzzled me. Waves were passing a point of land. Gulls would fly in the same direction as the waves were moving, swoop down and dip their bills in the crest of the wave. Others would dip their toes. The really adept ones would dip first their bills and then their toes in the same crest, in a rocking motion. They weren't catching anything in their bills. Each gull would do this, then circle around and do it all over again. It wasn't that they were having trouble landing -- by focussing on individual gulls, I noticed that after a time a gull would tire of this activity and land farther out on the lake with no trouble at all. After a rest, it would come back and join the ones that were still doing it. The only reasonable explanation for this behavior seemed to be that it was a game of skill they were playing. I've since gone past that point with my sister on other windy days, hoping to catch them at it again so I could show her that behavior, but so far, no luck.

Two gulls playing drop-and-catch-the-object:

Another day when there was a breeze sufficient to give the gulls joy in soaring and flying, I watched two sub-adult Ring-bills playing. One had a piece of something inedible in its bill (looked like a piece of bark or something). It flew into the wind and dropped the object. The other gull would swoop in from behind and below and catch the object while still on the wing, after it had dropped only a few feet. Then they'd circle back and change positions. They did this over and over again, alternating being the dropper and the catcher. In fact, I tired of watching them before they tired of playing this game.

Anna's Hummingbird riding a jet of water from a garden hose:

I love the idea that birds play. The late Alexander F. Skutch told the following engaging story on page 55 of his book "The Life of the Hummingbird":

"While Emerson Stoner watered his garden in California, a female Anna's hummingbird often came to flit through the spray from his hose. One day she discovered that she could ride the stream, a solid jet of water about three-quarters of an inch thick. Flying up at right angles, she alighted on the jet, as though it were a branch, and permitted it to carry her forward. Over and over she did this, apparently enjoying the stunt. She seemed to be playing rather than bathing."

Those hummers in your yard may be doing more than feeding and fighting!

Well, I'm not sure if this exactly qualifies as bird behavior, but one day I was sitting at my dining room table which was right in front of my sliding glass doors leading to the deck. There were a couple of downies eating from one of the suet feeders hanging from the overhang on the deck, when all of a sudden, a Cooper's hawk came swooping in, presumably to capture his "supper" - but somehow, he must have overshot his target, and he came to a rather unceremonious landing on the deck, right outside the sliding glass door! I (being the graceful one that I am) [:I] was so startled that I jumped out of my chair, lost my balance, and landed on the floor! We sat there staring at each other on opposite sides of the glass for the briefest of moments before Mr. Cooper took off, just as suddenly as he had landed! Never did figure out how he ended up there, but at least one little downy was spared on that day!

Oh, too funny, Birdy! [:D] Doesn't matter how it's categorized -- it's worth telling and definitely worth reading! Thanks for sharing it!

The most dramatic behavior I've seen is an Osprey doing its hovering thing (facing towards us) and then plunging into the water. Its not an unusual behavior but I have only seen it on one occasion.

Lucky you! You've seen that behavior one more time than I have -- I hope I get to see it some day.

Hey, thanks y'all for adding to this thread! I've been hoping people would -- I never intended it to be a one-person show.

Wow!!! I've never even seen an Osprey!!!!! [:(] I have an observation that, while not unusual, it taught us something. My husband and I were watching a White-breasted nuthatch on our deck one day, and we honestly thought he was dead or dying. He was on the deck railing with his wings spread and his feathers all puffed out and his head drooping. We thought for sure he was a goner![xx(] But a few minutes later, he sat up, ruffled his feathers, and flew off to one of the feeders. We were stumped until we read later that birds will "sun" themselves at times (there was sun on the deck railing that day) - can't remember exactly why they do that, but I'm glad we read that article! Needless to say, we have witnessed this behavior many times since, just think how confused we'd be if we had never read about it![:I]

I have a female Northern Cardinal That is constantly trying to come on to me. Whenever my wife and I sit on our front porch she will fly over to the platform feeder, turn her back to me, raise her tail, look back over her shoulder at me, and in her huskiest, most seductive Cardinal voice, utter the word,"CHIRP!!! ;)", at me. My wife and I fall off our chairs laughing at this. Here is her picture doing her Jezebel act.

The Money Shot!

Thornius, you cardinal seducer, you! [;)] Do you by any chance have red hair?

You've reminded me of the time my friend Helen and I were coming back from a canoe trip and had to take a detour because of a washed-out bridge over a flooded river. On the new route we encountered an emu farm and naturally came to a screeching halt to investigate. Strolling down a dirt track, we came to an enclosed yard (think paddock) that contained a pair of ostriches. I stood right next to the fence and the male ostrich came over, squatted down on his haunches, fluffed out his wings, fluttered them, and snaked his head and long neck from side to side. Helen, standing safely back from the fence, remarked, "Betsy, I think he likes you!" I looked up this behavior somewhere when I got home and discovered that it is, in fact, a courtship display!

My lovebird, on the other hand, wanted to marry a bell. I hung a one-inch round jingle bell where she could stand under it and reach up to ring it. She liked the sound of it so well the first time she rang it that she promptly lowered her head, elevated her rump and tail, and half spread her wings. She was quite annoyed when it didn't take her up on her invitation to make bell babies and jangled it angrily.

I read on another forum recently about a junco that has formed an affection for a mare and follows it around.

Birds can be wierd!

Birdy, I had occasion to research sunning a couple of weeks ago because of some photos of a sunning bird posted elsewhere. Ornithologists aren't certain of the reasons birds sun themselves but they have learned that, unlike lizards, they don't do it in order to warm up. In fact, they often become overheated while sunning and have to pant to cool off (since they don't sweat), so they only do it for a few minutes at a time.

The Birdwatcher's Companion lists the following as the main theories advanced to date to explain this behavior:

1) exposure to heat and and light activates ectoparasites such as bird lice and perhaps drives them away from areas of the body that the bird has the most trouble reaching and/or to areas where they can be captured most easily in the bill;

2) the sun's ultraviolet rays release vitamin D from the preen oil, which in turn is ingested by the bird in the preening that typically follows a sunbath;

3) the sun dries and fluffs the feathers by evaporating moisture and oils from the plumage, thus maintaining good insluation;

4) birds may be able to increase energy reserves by absorbing solar radiation directly through the skin;

5) it feels good, especially when molting causes skin irritations;

6) some optimal combination of 1-5.

We often have Steller's Jays sunning themselves here.

Now I promised Betsy I'd tell the story of being attacked by Australian Black-backed Magpies, although in truth there's not really a lot to tell.

The story is simply that I've been swooped both when walking and more agressively when riding a bicycle. It's something that happens to everyone out walking or riding during the bird's nesting season. They are VERY territorial.

All that happens is that you're out walking or riding and usually passing within a 100 yards or less of a stand of eucalypt trees when you'll suddenly get attacked. Usually there is little or no warning, although they may sqawk and you may get lucky and hear them when they're withing about 10 yards. Then it's just a case of HIT THE DECK! They don't do just one pass either, but will attack repeatedly until they consider you're a safe distance away.

The most interesting attack I've seen was a Magpie swooping a postie (mailman in the US?) who was riding a motorbike going slowly around a round-about. The postie was wearing a bright yellow helmet and the Magpie hit him a couple of times and the guy was so distracted, turning around to try and keep an eye on the attacking bird, that he dropped the bike. Doubt that postie has much in the way of kind thoughts towards Magpies.

I posted these links in another thread about the Magpies and their attacks, but I guess they're worth posting again for those who may not have seen them:

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&rls=GGLC%2CGGLC%3A1969-53%2CGGLC%3Aen&q=Black-backed+Magpie

http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/July2002/

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=GGLC%2CGGLC%3A1969-53%2CGGLC%3Aen&q=Magpie+attack

As I mentioned in that thread, I doubt you'd meet an Australian who hasn't been swooped by magpies at least once in their life.

Neil

I have never had the occasion to deal with Magpies (I have only seem them when I travel north and west) but I do have plenty of experience with Mockingbirds and pets. In Texas, I would walk my dog regularly along the same route so that she could check her Pmail and attend to other business. She was seldom on a leash and would range out a 100 yards or more. During nesting season for the Mockingbirds this poor little blond cockerspaniel wouldn't leave my side leash or not, especially when she found it necessary to squat. She had learned pretty quickly that if I wasn't standing immediately next to her, the Mockers would pop her one in the butt when she was hunkered down.

Thanks for the info on sunning - now that I think of it, that nuthatch did look overheated, his beak was open (it was a hot day) and his feathers were fluffed. Needless to say, I've seen many different birds do this by now, so they must have some reason (probably reason #6 on your list)!

I've got an emu story for you.......

One day when I went to get my mail (my mailbox was across the street and around the corner, just a short walk), I was just leaving the box when I looked down the road and could just barely see something running in the middle of the road, heading my way. I wasn't able to see it clearly at all, and my first thought was that someone's pony got loose and was on the run. Then, as it came into focus, I recognized it as an emu, and it was coming right at me! Knowing that these birds can be mean and dangerous (they pack a powerful kick and this one was especially ornery looking) I quickly headed for my driveway, as fast as my short legs would carry me. As I ran up the driveway yelling for my husband (our driveway was about 100 feet long), I turned to see the emu turn up the driveway as well, in hot pursuit. I made it to the back door just in time, and the bird continued around the side of my garage and into my backyard.

He hung around for several hours, while I called animal control and they attempted to locate the owners. Eventually, it was captured in the pasture next door, but not without a fight!

It had made quite a mess of my birdbath, and the laundry I had hanging on the lines had to be brought in and rewashed [:(], but otherwise no damage was done.

We still laugh about my great escape...............[:D]

Birdy, your Great Escape story is too, too funny! I don't know if it would have attacked you or was hoping you would feed it, but I don't blame you for not wanting to find out!

Neil, I thanked you in your welcome thread for posting your magpie story, but in case you didn't see that, thanks again here. Boy, the posties must dread magpie breeding season each year! Our mockers can be pretty feisty about defending their nesting territory, too, as thornius points out, but fortunately they're not as big as magpies.

Speaking of feisty birds, Inca Doves are pretty darned feisty. I don't know how many of you have seen an Inca Dove. They're really pretty, with their scaly plumage and those russet primaries and underwings, so here are a couple of photos I pulled from the net:



This one seems to be engaged in a distraction display:


They're quite common in south Texas, but they've been working their way north and now we occasionally see them up here. I was very excited the first time one showed up at my windowledge feeder (it doesn't come often -- usually comes during or just after a rain), but what tickled me most was how aggressive the bird was. It landed on top of the A/C unit sticking out of the adjacent window, on which three Mourning Doves (MODOs) were standing. Now those MODOs are half again as large as the Inca, but that little Inca just lowered its head and charged at the feet of one of the MODOs, making it fly off. Then it systematically chased the other two away the same way. It dropped down to the windowledge and chased everybody else away, too, until it was king of the ledge. Those hungry birds all kept a respectful distance until the Inca was finished and vacated the premises. Makes one wonder if that feistiness had anything to do with their being named Inca Doves.

Those MODOs have a dominance hierarchy and I frequently see them chasing each other and House Sparrows (HOSPs) off the ledge, but not even the biggest one of them will tangle with a feisty little Inca Dove. They all opt for flight rather than fight.

Now the HOSPs, that's another story. The other day the ledge was pretty crowded with birds feeding peaceably. An impatient HOSP wanted to get in there, too, but there wasn't enough room to land easily with wings outspread, so first it landed on the back of a MODO and then hopped down to the ledge. That really got the MODO's aggressive juices flowing, because first it chased away the HOSP and then it chased away every other bird on the ledge. It looked around as though it were still spoiling for a fight (Don't even think about coming back here before I'm done!) before it went back to chowing down in peace.

I wrote about my wonderful encounter w/ an immature Green Heron in Aug. You can find the post here:

http://www.birdersworld.com/brd/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1328

Oh, thanks for posting that link, Mojoe -- that was before I arrived here, so I'd missed that one. It's clear why that was a very special experience for you.

My closest encounter with a Green Heron was also with a juvie, but it wasn't as special as yours was. I used to feed crumbs to the HOSPs and Great-tailed Grackles that scavenged in the courtyard adjacent to my office's cafeteria. The window in the office of the security guards by the back door overlooked this courtyard, so they knew I liked birds. One day they called me over to look at a bird they'd put in a box -- it was a juvie Green Heron that had stunned itself by flying into the plate glass and landed near the back door. Since it was already in a box I didn't handle it, so I didn't get to feel the flexible bill or anything - -I just ended up getting it to a nearby nature center to take to a rehabber. I really like watching Green Herons -- they have such an intent posture when they're fishing.

Just today at John Heinz NWR I saw an osprey catch a fish, which was pretty cool. Twenty minutes later, I saw an adult bald eagle do the same which was absolutely awesome.

Betsy, I've been talking to that same female Northern Cardinal, and we are now in negotiations to produce and star in an erotic film together that we are calling, "Cardinal Sins" ;).