Subject: [Tweeters] Cedar Waxwing Courtship?
Date: Jun 16 10:41:19 2008
From: Denis DeSilvis - avnacrs4birds at q.com


Tweeters,

While at Nisqually refuge Saturday, Evan Houston and I were taken aback by
the interaction between two Cedar Waxwings.



Both birds were perched side-by-side on a branch, with one bird having what
appeared to be a sumac berry (likely something else-non-botanist here). We
thought we were going to see courtship feeding, but it didn't quite work out
that way.



The waxwing with the berry (BB for "berry bird") held the berry up and
slightly away from the non-berry bird (NBB). BB sidled slightly away from
NBB, which gaped in what appeared to be a non-wing moving begging posture.
NBB moved closer, and BB held the berry straight up, even further away from
NBB. BB moved slightly away again, and NBB gaped, thrusting its opened beak
at BB's breast, making contact. BB turned its head and held the berry as far
as possible from NBB while still perching side-by-side, and NBB again thrust
its beak at BB's breast, making contact, and pulling out several feathers.
BB then flew with the berry further up the shrub, with NBB in pursuit.



I've heard about playing hard-to-get, but ..



Note: Cedar Waxwings were seemingly everywhere at Nisqually.



May all your birds be identified,



Denis DeSilvis

Roy, WA

Mailto: avnacrs4birds at q.com