At 08:30 PM 5/10/98 -0400, Christine Maack wrote:
>Hugh Jennings wrote:
>
>>Another question for the
>experts, is why do the swallows flutter their wings when at a puddle to
>pick
>up mud? >

>As a non-expert willing to speculate, they probably flutter to help
>keep their balance. Swallows have really dinky legs and feet,
>designed mainly as little hooks for hanging vertically. When they
>are on the ground and leaning forward, they probably don't feel
>stable enough. We're talking Cliff Swallows here?

Another possibility is that it helps them keep them clean, i.e. out
of the mud. It's possible that they can't hold them stationary in
that position long enough.

Yet another possibility is that the fluttering helps identify them
as cliff swallows, as a message to others that "here's great nest
making mud, folks!"

And maybe they just do it so little birders will have something to
ask questions about! :)


- Don Baccus, Portland OR <dhogaza at pacifier.com>
Nature photos, on-line guides, and other goodies at
http://donb.photo.net