Conflict #1
The Grey-headed Swamphen, Porphyrio poliocephalus, is a south-Asian species that has been naturalized in New Zealand, Florida, and other locales. In Florida the birds escaped from exotic fowl enclosures and have spread throughout wetland areas into Georgia and S. Carolina. They are larger than any of the other (native) members of the rail family and are regarded as pests as they are very aggresive and may compete with native gallinules and coots. They are very social, foraging in flocks and often breeding cooperatively, with multiple females sharing communal nests and breeding with more than one mail. This scene played out at a considerable distance, so these images are tightly cropped. A group of 8-10 birds had gathered in a relatively open area adjacent to taller marsh vegetation and were running about, often in head-down postures, and leaping up to rake each other with their claws. Intuitively, we thought this level of agitationi and agonistic behavior must reflect mate competition, but it might also manifest a territorial dispute between two flocks. Who knows? It was very entertaining,
Celery Fields, Sarasota, FL
(31 March, 2024)
Conflict #1
The Grey-headed Swamphen, Porphyrio poliocephalus, is a south-Asian species that has been naturalized in New Zealand, Florida, and other locales. In Florida the birds escaped from exotic fowl enclosures and have spread throughout wetland areas into Georgia and S. Carolina. They are larger than any of the other (native) members of the rail family and are regarded as pests as they are very aggresive and may compete with native gallinules and coots. They are very social, foraging in flocks and often breeding cooperatively, with multiple females sharing communal nests and breeding with more than one mail. This scene played out at a considerable distance, so these images are tightly cropped. A group of 8-10 birds had gathered in a relatively open area adjacent to taller marsh vegetation and were running about, often in head-down postures, and leaping up to rake each other with their claws. Intuitively, we thought this level of agitationi and agonistic behavior must reflect mate competition, but it might also manifest a territorial dispute between two flocks. Who knows? It was very entertaining,
Celery Fields, Sarasota, FL
(31 March, 2024)