Subject: [Tweeters] House finch courtship question
Date: May 23 12:30:39 2011
From: notcalm at comcast.net - notcalm at comcast.net


Hello Doreen,


We did have one recently fledged Junco doing the behavior you describe, on our deck railing the past three days. It also fluttered, laid down, with wings stretched in the sunlight. Really glad there was no Cooper's present. The bird had juvenile plumage. Did the birds you saw have adult plumage?


Dan Reiff
----- Original Message -----
From: "Doreen Gillespie" <dorgilles at gmail.com>
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2011 9:30:55 AM
Subject: [Tweeters] House finch courtship question


I had thought I was observing courtship behavior for the last several weeks, with female wing-fluttering directed toward males. However, yesterday I saw this behavior directed toward females, and this morning I saw three females/immatures all directing their fluttering toward one male at one time....he did not seem interested and showed no feeding behavior.

I think this is a little early for fledging, especially considering our late spring--am I still seeing courtship with a little mixed-sex behavior? I haven't heard the typical fledgling feeding calls, so I am inclined to this think is simply courtship.

Doreen
Redmond
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