Re: [cayugabirds-l] interesting WB nuthatch behavior
I've seen White-Breasted Nuthatches do the same sort of thing at a platform feeder of mine (throughout the year, not just spring), a very dramatic wingspread that I always took to be a threat display, as it seems to do it when others come near the seed the nuthatch is eating from. I've always wanted to photograph it but of course it happens infrequently and unexpectedly! It's a dazzling display. Would be interested to hear what others think. Melissa On Mon, May 12, 2014 at 12:24 PM, Karen Edelstein k...@cornell.edu wrote: 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 Leavehttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm *Archives:* The Mail Archivehttp://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/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/!* -- -- Melissa Groo Photography melissagroo.com Follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/melissa.groo http://melissagroo.com -- 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/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
RE: [cayugabirds-l] interesting WB nuthatch behavior
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 m...@cornell.edu http://www.marieread.com Author of Sierra Wings: Birds of the Mono Lake BasinAvailable here: http://marieread.photoshelter.com/gallery/Sierra-Wings-Birds-of-the-Mono-Lake-Basin/GNlCxX37uTzE From: bounce-115418258-5851...@list.cornell.edu [bounce-115418258-5851...@list.cornell.edu] on behalf of Karen Edelstein [k...@cornell.edu] 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 Basicshttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Rules and Informationhttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Subscribe, Configuration and Leavehttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm Archives: The Mail Archivehttp://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html Surfbirdshttp://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds BirdingOnThe.Nethttp://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBirdhttp://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/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
RE: [cayugabirds-l] interesting WB nuthatch behavior
It is a tough display to capture. I've been trying for years, and the best I have done is a little sequence that was taken through the kitchen window. I have one shot at https://picasaweb.google.com/101683745969614096883/Fall2012Birds#6012597415846746018, or https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2b8dPBBiozrkTVLgzSaoAdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink. It's a standard aggressive display, taking advantage of the nice black and white markings hidden in the tail and wings. They give it to a number of species that they want to stay away from them, but seem more likely to give it to another nuthatch than other feeder birds in my experience. Best, Kevin -Original Message- From: bounce-115419961-3493...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-115419961-3493...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Marie P. Read Sent: Monday, May 12, 2014 1:05 PM To: Karen L Edelstein; CAYUGABIRDS-L; NATURAL-HISTORY-L Subject: RE: [cayugabirds-l] interesting WB nuthatch behavior 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 m...@cornell.edu http://www.marieread.com Author of Sierra Wings: Birds of the Mono Lake BasinAvailable here: http://marieread.photoshelter.com/gallery/Sierra-Wings-Birds-of-the-Mono-Lake-Basin/GNlCxX37uTzE From: bounce-115418258-5851...@list.cornell.edu [bounce-115418258-5851...@list.cornell.edu] on behalf of Karen Edelstein [k...@cornell.edu] 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 Basicshttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Rules and Informationhttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Subscribe, Configuration and Leavehttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm Archives: The Mail Archivehttp://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html Surfbirdshttp://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds BirdingOnThe.Nethttp://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBirdhttp://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/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ -- -- 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/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
