This morning at Myers Point, the group I was with observed two Killdeer
engaging in what we assumed was a courtship ritual. ?They stood on the log at
the end of the gravel parking lot, back to back, with tails raised high, and
backed into each other until tails were close to touching. ?They then began
imitating each other, with flicks and dips. ?The whole time they were calling
constantly, so that it sounds like one continuous trill. ?No one in our group
had ever seen the likes of it before, or heard of it. ?Unfortunately we had to
leave before seeing the end of this display, but my curiosity was piqued.?
I came home and checked on Birds of North America for more information, and
found nothing except a small reference to the 1967 paper "Prenuptial courtship
in wintering shorebirds" by J.B. Funderburg. ?Google searching this paper lead
me to a website describing the ground courtship displays of Killdeer. ?I find
it quite interesting, so I thought I'd share it with you all!
Found on the website birdsbybent.com. ?A 1929 bulletin - 146 (part 2:
202-217) - written by Arthur Cleveland Bent for the Smithsonian National Museum.
"The most noticeable courtship performances of the killdeer are those that
take place in the air--the nuptial flight--but those that occur on the ground,
although less often seen, are also spectacular.?Aretas Saunders (1926) thus
describes the display:?Two birds would crouch side by side but facing in
opposite directions. Then they would droop the tips of the wings so that they
exposed the ochraceous patch of the lower back, spread the tail, and tip the
breast forward, slowly lifting the wing tips till the came way above the back,
but never covered it from view. All the while they kept up a continual call,
the long-trilled note 't-r-r-r-r-rrrrr.' The displaying birds would often begin
the performance or end it with a little fighting."?
Try as I might, I couldn't find the original Saunders source. ?Have any of
you witnessed this behavior before?
Happy birding!
Lauren?
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