I thoroughly enjoyed this thread- thank you for sharing!! 🙂
Addie Cappello Wildlife Technician, Division of Fish and Wildlife Pronouns: She/Her/Hers New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 50 Circle Road, Stony Brook, NY 11790 P: (631) 444-0310 | P: (631) 924-3156 | adriana.cappe...@dec.ny.gov<mailto:adriana.cappe...@dec.ny.gov> www.dec.ny.gov<http://www.dec.ny.gov/> | [13898AF0] <https://www.facebook.com/NYSDEC> | [48545E7E] <https://twitter.com/NYSDEC> | [F510F3C] <https://www.instagram.com/nysdec/> [F73604AA] ________________________________ From: bounce-125688380-83014...@list.cornell.edu <bounce-125688380-83014...@list.cornell.edu> on behalf of Joseph Wallace <joew...@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, June 6, 2021 12:07 PM To: Shane Blodgett <shaneblodg...@yahoo.com> Cc: Brendan Fogarty <bn...@cornell.edu>; Ardith Bondi <ard...@earthlink.net>; nysbirds-l@cornell.edu <nysbirds-l@cornell.edu> Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Barn Swallow question ATTENTION: This email came from an external source. Do not open attachments or click on links from unknown senders or unexpected emails. Thanks, Shane. I guess that's long been debated (e.g., do cats play?), since almost all forms of play also have a "practice" aspect. I was telling my swallow story to a friend in the D.C. area, and he described a pair of foxes who had a den near his backyard. The kits would come out in the early morning and play with the balls my friend's family had left in the yard...but the play was pouncing, chasing etc. So I'd like to believe it can be both. Hope it's okay to continue this conversation here. (I find it fascinating!) I/we can take it private if it's taking up too much space. --Joe On Sun, Jun 6, 2021 at 11:49 AM Shane Blodgett <shaneblodg...@yahoo.com<mailto:shaneblodg...@yahoo.com>> wrote: For birds that catch prey on the wing I wonder if this behavior is just for “fun“ or could also be seen as “practice.” Regards, Shane Blodgett Sent from my iPhone On Jun 6, 2021, at 10:53 AM, Joseph Wallace <joew...@gmail.com<mailto:joew...@gmail.com>> wrote:  Thank you all for your replies (here and directly to me) and the references. I love that feather-play is a "swallow thing." The one I watched varied its game, swooping in from all angles and approaches. Twice it flew almost straight upwards until it was perhaps fifty feet off the ground before releasing the feather. I'm intrigued by the fact that one of the earlier reports also specifies a large *white* feather; my guess is that, like yesterday's, it was a down feather, which would float in the air much more satisfactorily than a denser one. I write essays on nature for a local Audubon Society. I think my next piece will focus on bird play! Thanks again-- Joe On Sat, Jun 5, 2021 at 11:34 PM Brendan Fogarty <bn...@cornell.edu<mailto:bn...@cornell.edu>> wrote: Joseph and all, This behavior seems familiar, but I cannot say if I have seen it before in person or in media. It is definitely documented; below is an excerpt from Birds of the World online. "In Britain, 3 juveniles were observed apparently playing with large white feather while in flight, repeatedly dropping it and catching it before it reached the ground (1). Adults are also known to exhibit this same behavior (2)." 1. Thompson, B. G. (1990). Behaviour of Swallows with feather. British Birds 83:239 2. Turner, A. K. (2004). Family Hirundinidae (Swallows and Martins). In Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume 9: Cotingas to Pipits and Wagtails (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, and D. A. Cristie, Editors), Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Best, Brendan Fogarty On Sat, Jun 5, 2021 at 11:23 PM Ardith Bondi <ard...@earthlink.net<mailto:ard...@earthlink.net>> wrote: That is very cool! This is not exactly the same, but I was photographing a Tree Swallow at Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area on Long Island last Tuesday with a 500 mm PF lens (think, short and light for a 500mm) on a Nikon D850 with a very loud shutter. I suddenly realized that the swallow was singing in response to the shutter. The more I pressed it, the more the bird sang. I tried a varied pattern to test it. When I finally stopped, the bird waited a second and then flew off. I had never experienced that before, either. I have watched penguins play in Antarctica. Penguins climb up on things and jump off them just for fun. They’ll even do it with a buddy. Ardith Bondi NYC www.ardithbondi.com<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=91334dd5-cea87508-9131b4e0-0cc47aa8c6e0-5cc2d3b89bfd5aab&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ardithbondi.com%2F> Sent from my iPhone On Jun 5, 2021, at 10:04 PM, Joseph Wallace <joew...@gmail.com<mailto:joew...@gmail.com>> wrote:  This is more about bird behavior than rarity, so apologies if it's o/t, but I watched a swallow engage in extraordinary (to me) behavior at Croton Point Park in Westchester today. It started when I spotted something white drifting slowly towards the ground: a large, downy feather. Just as I focused on it, a Barn Swallow snatched it out of the air with its beak. I expected the bird to head off to its nest, but instead it dropped the feather...and then circled and snatched it out of the air again. For the next few minutes, I watched the swallow repeatedly release the feather, do wide loops around it--sometimes feinting in its direction--and then pluck it out of the air. Twice it let the feather land on the grass, retrieving it once while on the wing and once by landing beside it. Finally the swallow did head off, I imagine to line its nest at last. I'd never seen swallows engage in play, but I can't see how this was anything else. Has anyone else here ever witnessed something like this? Thanks--Joe Wallace -- NYSbirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=cd932c67-920814ba-cd91d552-0cc47aa8c6e0-6b62a5ba7cd0bf28&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northeastbirding.com%2FNYSbirdsWELCOME.htm> Rules and Information<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=a8a13091-f73a084c-a8a3c9a4-0cc47aa8c6e0-ef893ac7ef24a487&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northeastbirding.com%2FNYSbirdsRULES.htm> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=b9f4d3af-e66feb72-b9f62a9a-0cc47aa8c6e0-ccf3ce475f49a991&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northeastbirding.com%2FNYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=44460909-1bdd31d4-4444f03c-0cc47aa8c6e0-2b4b992d649ba530&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.surfbirds.com%2Fbirdingmail%2FGroup%2FNYSBirds-L> ABA<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=bb9fbd0b-e40485d6-bb9d443e-0cc47aa8c6e0-8ff79b98936eedcb&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fbirding.aba.org%2Fmaillist%2FNY01> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- NYSbirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=48512c56-17ca148b-4853d563-0cc47aa8c6e0-a43b290e434bc6e1&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northeastbirding.com%2FNYSbirdsWELCOME.htm> Rules and Information<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=e36b0649-bcf03e94-e369ff7c-0cc47aa8c6e0-0a512f3ef5c09363&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northeastbirding.com%2FNYSbirdsRULES.htm> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=ca31fa19-95aac2c4-ca33032c-0cc47aa8c6e0-190fff4964d483cd&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northeastbirding.com%2FNYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=59315eda-06aa6607-5933a7ef-0cc47aa8c6e0-a754edc434367d25&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.surfbirds.com%2Fbirdingmail%2FGroup%2FNYSBirds-L> ABA<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=c2a4df4f-9d3fe792-c2a6267a-0cc47aa8c6e0-91c5cc3cfd46c47a&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fbirding.aba.org%2Fmaillist%2FNY01> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- NYSbirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=4c0078ff-139b4022-4c0281ca-0cc47aa8c6e0-e5c6d604783311c7&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northeastbirding.com%2FNYSbirdsWELCOME.htm> Rules and Information<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=49e71d19-167c25c4-49e5e42c-0cc47aa8c6e0-a5187fad349f95b8&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northeastbirding.com%2FNYSbirdsRULES.htm> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=42bffc0f-1d24c4d2-42bd053a-0cc47aa8c6e0-6dd39a324b71dc27&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northeastbirding.com%2FNYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=beed5700-e1766fdd-beefae35-0cc47aa8c6e0-6ab33cbdc51a7c6d&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.surfbirds.com%2Fbirdingmail%2FGroup%2FNYSBirds-L> ABA<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=cd2efad4-92b5c209-cd2c03e1-0cc47aa8c6e0-d54bd700a47cfe1f&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fbirding.aba.org%2Fmaillist%2FNY01> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- NYSbirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=07ca37f9-58510f24-07c8cecc-0cc47aa8c6e0-30de5249c562963b&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northeastbirding.com%2FNYSbirdsWELCOME.htm> Rules and Information<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=8d40515a-d2db6987-8d42a86f-0cc47aa8c6e0-f096d736c48dbd40&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northeastbirding.com%2FNYSbirdsRULES.htm> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=9af045e2-c56b7d3f-9af2bcd7-0cc47aa8c6e0-995e9f75820898a8&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northeastbirding.com%2FNYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=90b6ede3-cf2dd53e-90b414d6-0cc47aa8c6e0-7e4c8ef0353fcdfa&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.surfbirds.com%2Fbirdingmail%2FGroup%2FNYSBirds-L> ABA<https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=4ffbc469-1060fcb4-4ff93d5c-0cc47aa8c6e0-386bbc3ff1a31003&q=1&e=e2b295bd-dae9-483d-97ec-05aa684243d2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fbirding.aba.org%2Fmaillist%2FNY01> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
