I've seen this happening when a nuthatch is approached too closely by another species of bird at a feeder, so a kind of interspecific aggressive display. They also do it as a distraction display, when their nest is threatened by another species of bird or a mammal such as a chipmunk. The various moves and plumage positions (ie fluffed or smooth) during distraction and aggressive displays often make the displaying bird look larger and more threatening itself.
Cool observation. I too would love to photograph the behavior, but at feeders it's not necessarily predictable. Marie Marie Read Wildlife Photography 452 Ringwood Road Freeville NY 13068 USA Phone 607-539-6608 e-mail [email protected] http://www.marieread.com Author of Sierra Wings: Birds of the Mono Lake Basin Available here: http://marieread.photoshelter.com/gallery/Sierra-Wings-Birds-of-the-Mono-Lake-Basin/G0000NlCxX37uTzE ________________________________________ From: [email protected] [[email protected]] on behalf of Karen Edelstein [[email protected]] Sent: Monday, May 12, 2014 12:24 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L; NATURAL-HISTORY-L Subject: [cayugabirds-l] interesting WB nuthatch behavior Yesterday, in the midst of a flurry of activity at the feeder, with visits from a large flock of goldfinches, several male indigo buntings, rose-breasted grosbeaks, Baltimore orioles, and several woodpeckers, I observed a new behavior in a white-breasted nuthatch. The nuthatch was at the tube feeder, and suddenly spread its wings and rotated its entire body about 120 degrees like a pendulum. It then swung upright, and did the same maneuver in the opposite direction, wings widespread. Mating displays of birds of paradise came to mind immediately. This was the only nuthatch in the near vicinity. Thoughts on what was going on? -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
