Bird Behaviour in Action
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the horbills are quite large birds used to feed on fruit and mainly insects,arachnids and small vertebrates.
but they are not used to kill aduld birds.
in this case an African Grey Hornbill (tockus nasutus) has cought and killed a social weaver.
"a strange behaviour"
Etosha National Park ,Namibia
original 3K file here:
Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps Cristatus
The great crested grebe has an elaborate mating display. Like all grebes, it nests on the water's edge, since its legs are set relatively far back and it is thus unable to walk very well. Usually two eggs are laid, and the fluffy, striped young grebes are often carried on the adult's back. In a clutch of two or more hatchlings, male and female grebes will each identify their 'favourites', which they alone will care for and teach
Unusually, young grebes are capable of swimming and diving almost at hatching. The adults teach these skills to their young by carrying them on their back and diving, leaving the chicks to float on the surface; they then re-emerge a few feet away so that the chicks may swim back onto them.
The great crested grebe feeds mainly on fish, but also small crustaceans, insects small frogs and newts.
This species was hunted almost to extinction in the United Kingdom in the 19th century for its head plumes, which were used to decorate hats and ladies' undergarments. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was set up to help protect this species, which is again a common sight.
The great crested grebe and its behaviour was the subject of one of the landmark publications in avian ethology: Julian Huxley's 1914 paper on The Courtship‐habits of the Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus).
Population:
UK breeding:
4,600 pairs
UK wintering:
19,000 individuals
A black Swan attacking a Muscovy duck.
Hope you will enjoy this shot.
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©Elsie van der Walt, all rights reserved. Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. If you are interested in using one of my images, please send me an E-mail (elsie.vdwalt@gmail.com).
I was observing a group of sea gulls next to the Yarra River when I took this shot.
I am sure you would have seen these postures and calls before.
I was also curious about these postures and their meanings.
Here you can see two common postures.
The gull in the front is showing the Forward Posture.
As the name implies, this posture is all about displaying a forward motion by holding the body roughly horizontal or slightly diagonally with the neck kinked characteristically.
The tail can sometimes be spread; the bill is either slightly opened or closed.
The Forward posture is used in the following situations:
1) hostile encounters
2) pair formation sequences
3) as a response to a bird approaching in flight
When used in hostile encounters on land, it often includes running towards an opponent, whereas in a pair formation sequence both gulls move parallel to each other
The Gull behind is doing the Mew Call
The Mew call is accompanied by a characteristic Arch-posture in which the head is held down and the wings are held slightly away from the body.
It is usually performed while walking but can be performed while standing, flying, or swimming as well.
The Mew call is used in both aggressive and non-aggressive situations:
Aggressive
1) In defense of food or territory, aimed at an opponent
2 )To attract a mate for support in territory defense
Non-aggressive
1) To attract a partner (also for courtship)
2) To call chicks that have wandered too far from the nest
3) To gather chicks for feeding or after they have been hiding after a disturbance
4) As a nest-relief invitation
5) As a call performed upon landing.
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Peaceful Sunday
Dove and Red-headed Finch.
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©Elsie van der Walt, all rights reserved. Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. If you are interested in using one of my images, please send me an E-mail (elsie.vdwalt@gmail.com).
A beautiful woodpecker that is found in a small part of the country - a large part of South India and the Himalayan forest. It has a rich yellow and green mixed color which I found to be spectacular. The bird is tad bigger than many of the other woodpeckers I have seen. This is my second sighting and from what I could see, the behaviours are similar to the othr woodpeckers. The birds do come down to the middle canopy and that is where we shot them.
There is another Greater Yellownape as well but which is much bigger than this bird. I was fortunate enough to sight both of them.
Thanks so much in advance for your views, faves and feedback.
Rothschild's swordtail (left) and other butterfly eating minerals on river bank in Manu National Park.
Mud-puddling, or simply puddling, is a behaviour most conspicuous in butterflies, but occurs in other animals as well, mainly insects; they seek out nutrients in certain moist substances such as rotting plant matter, mud and carrion and they suck up the fluid. Where the conditions are suitable, conspicuous insects such as butterflies commonly form aggregations on wet soil, dung or carrion. From the fluids they obtain salts and amino acids that play various roles in their physiology, ethology and ecology.
Protesilaus earis, the Rothschild's swordtail, is a species of butterfly found in the Neotropical realm.
Peruvian Amazon Rainforest, Manú National Park
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From the "senses" series: Vision
If someone sees something, they react. Cause-effect. According to Pavlov, reflexes could be conditioned. If you don't see, you don't react. But if vision is deprived from you and you know and watch that you don't see because someone doesn't want you to see, you react. Cause-effect.
A Northwestern Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) swimming in n urban pond in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
This was one of two muskrats chasing each other on this pond likely as part of their breeding behaviour.
23 April, 2022.
Slide # GWB_20220423_1081.CR2
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© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.
Although they are not the only birds to engage in similar behaviour, gannets are famous for "billing" or “mutual fencing.” While it can happen any time both birds from a mated pair are at their nest site, it is quite routine when one bird returns to the nest after foraging for food or nesting material. The two gannets will face each other, often touching and calling. They then shake their heads side to side with their bills clacking together. They often bow, rub necks, and preen each other’s neck before taking up the more mundane activities of nesting in colonies, such as bickering and fighting with neighbors.
RKO_9069.
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I post this photo for the Happy Caturday theme "Behaviour". Generally Sethi's behaviour is that of most outdoor cats, he loves to roam the neighbourhood, to hunt and to fight. When he is at home he is a different cat, quite peaceful and cuddly and he can look incredibly innocent. What always makes me smile is the way he sticks the tip of his tongue out when he is focused on something interesting, this is so typical Sethi.
Happy Caturday !
It was interesting and entertaining to watch the feeding behaviours of both the 'i'iwi and the 'amakihi (endemic Hawaiian honeycreepers). Very flexible necks and often hanging off a branch. They pry flowers (like this māmane) open with their beak, then use their tongue to lap up the sweet liquid at the flower's base.
Courtship behaviour of the great crested grebe.
great crested grebe
Haubentaucher
[Podiceps cristatus]
The rock pipit is a large stocky pipit, larger than a meadow pipit and smaller than a starling. It is streaky olive-brown above and dirty white underneath with dark streaking. It breeds around the coast where there are rocky beaches and most of the birds which breed in the UK are residents, with only the young birds dispersing once they become independent.
This Eurasian rock pipit is territorial at least in the breeding season, and year-round where it is resident. Males will sometimes enter an adjacent territory to assist the resident in repelling an intruder, behaviour only otherwise known from the African fiddler crab.
Click on image for larger view
From last Thursdays day of dodging rain drops. I find the Orange-crowned are very curious when comes to other birds in the area not at all aggressive, they seem to coexist with other song birds. Have you found the same type of behaviour with these birds?
The name kestrel is given to several members of the falcon genus, Falco. Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviour which is to hover at a height of around 10–20 metres over open country and swoop down on prey, usually small mammals, lizards or large insects. Other falcons are more adapted to active hunting in flight. Kestrels are notable for usually having mostly brown in their plumage.
Endemic to Madagascar. It's closely similar to the African stonechat in both plumage and behaviour, but distinguished from it by the more extensive black on the throat and minimal orange-red on the upper breast of the males.
Vallombre Natiora Hotel, Mantasoa, Madagascar
Stag frantically digging up mud at the edge of a lake to cover its antlers before dressing them in vegetation. Not sure if this is to impress the ladies or threaten other males in the rut.
This male ruddy duck is causing bubbles to form in front of himself by drumming against his breast with his sky-blue bill and releasing air trapped between his breast feathers. This tends to be followed up with a soft belching noise. Apparently, this behaviour attracts females. Hmmm. I should try it.
I made a quick trip to the nature reserve after work and met this beautiful and friendly girl. After moving to a very photogenic spot on the grass she spent several minutes turning, preening and generally showing off all her best sides for the camera! It was hard to pick a shot in the end :)
Cosmopolitan species, found on every continent except Antarctica. Plumage is all white outside the breeding season. These herons have a unique foraging behaviour, often following large mammals like cattle to feed on insects and other invertebrates disturbed by the animals. Their diet includes crickets, grasshoppers, ticks, frogs and small vertebrates.
Cattle egrets nest in colonies, typically near bodies of water, and often alongside other wading birds. They build their nests—a platform of sticks—in trees or shrubs.
Cattle egrets first arrived in Britain in 2008, breeding successfully that year. After a brief retreat due to harsh winters, they have returned and are now breeding in large numbers. This expansion is largely attributed to rising average temperatures, allowing these typically tropical birds to thrive further north.
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A pair of Sarus Crane (Antigone antigone) was searching for food seriously for the caring of their little chick sticking together. It was the learning course for the chick to pick the right food after searching. The beauty of this behavioural shot is that it is a living documentation of parental care and behavioural learning in their natural habitat with an artistic composition. Pics was taken from Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India.
Came across this bruin in the arctic, he was feeding on a musk ox calf. His eyes tell the story, stay away! Taken from inside a truck on a gravel road. Decided to heed his eyes and stay in the truck with minimal movement. (The photographer didn't get this old being stoopid!) I have had very close encounters with Grizzly Bears while hiking and have been bluff charged and followed for miles before. One thing that is important is to read the animals behaviour. This one is quite obvious, wouldn't you say?
The original of this image is available as a stock photograph with Grandmaison Photo Agency www.grandmaisonphotography.com/image?&_bqG=0&_bqH...
This male Sharp-tailed Grouse is intensely focused on its ‘dance’ at a lek (communal display area) in southern Alberta, Canada. There are many elements to this behaviour: the inflated purple air sacs, raised yellow eye combs, erect sharp-pointed tail, fanned wings, stamping feet, and various vocalizations. It is amazing to watch and was witnessed at a controlled site on private land with booking required, for which you must enter the blind before sunrise, be quiet, and wait until the activities have eventually finished after several hours before leaving. Well worth it!
Not sure what,s going on here.At first i thought the ants were moving their larvae to another location,but the first larvae is clearly a plant hopper nymph! So moving plant hopper larvae for security,or food?
Thanks for your comments and faves,they are truly appreciated.
Male and Female Peregrines passing live prey, first time I've seen this kind of behaviour, not the best shots due to poor weather but I managed to get 3 live shots
If you think that this red-breasted fellow is about to take off, it wasn’t the case. This robin (Erithacus rubecula) comfortably sat on a thick tree branch until a sudden gust of wind. Remarkably, the bird faced the challenge by constantly changing the shape of its body to maintain the balance on the branch without moving an inch or using its wings to fly away into a sheltered area. The image of the bird in this bullet-like pose, probably most effective aerodynamically, was taken when the wind was at strength. It was great fun to watch this behaviour especially through the lens. The Botanical Gardens. Royal Victoria Park, Bath, BathNES, Somerset, England, UK.
Thank you for your visit, favours and comments, much appreciated.
in a winter plumage. A flock of noisy Black-headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) landed on the river when a passer-by started feeding resident swans. They didn’t stay for long though.
In the past the scientific name of this species was Larus ridibundus. Larus in Latin ‘larus’ or in Ancient Greek ‘laros’ apparently meaning “gull” or “seabird”. The epithet ‘ridibundus’ means in Latin “laughing lot” referring to its characteristic call resembling laugh, and a noisy behaviour of the flock. 20 years ago, all black-headed species moved to a separate genus ”Chroicocephalus”. This name is an amalgamation of two Ancient Greek words ‘khroizo’, “to colour", and ‘kephale’, "head”, i.e. ‘colour-headed’ – makes more sense… in summer, when they are in a breeding plumage. In winter months their heads mainly white with few dark streaks and spots. The river Avon’s riverside, Bath, BANES, England UK.
Thank you all very much for your visit, favours and comments, much appreciated.
🇫🇷 Le phacochère est un mammifère des savanes africaines, connu pour son apparence unique et ses comportements intrigants. Cet animal se distingue par ses défenses proéminentes, sa peau rugueuse et ses grandes oreilles. Il fait partie de la famille des suidés et est souvent confondu avec les sangliers, bien qu’il possède ses propres caractéristiques distinctes.Le phacochère vit en groupe familial appelé harde, qui peut comprendre de 4 à 16 individus, principalement des femelles et leurs jeunes.Les mâles adultes vivent de manière solitaire à l’âge de deux ans . Il est actif durant la journée. Pour s’alimenter, le phacochère passe des heures à fouiller le sol à la recherche de racines, tubercules et autres gourmandises.
🇬🇧 The warthog is a mammal found in the African savannahs, known for its unique appearance and intriguing behaviour. This animal is distinguished by its prominent tusks, rough skin and large ears. It belongs to the Suidae family and is often confused with wild boars, although it has its own distinct characteristics. The warthog lives in family groups known as herds, which can comprise between 4 and 16 individuals, mainly females and their young. Adult males become solitary at the age of two. It is active during the day. To forage, the warthog spends hours rooting around in the ground in search of roots, tubers and other delicacies.
🇩🇪 Das Warzenschwein ist ein Säugetier der afrikanischen Savannen, das für sein einzigartiges Aussehen und sein faszinierendes Verhalten bekannt ist. Dieses Tier zeichnet sich durch seine markanten Stoßzähne, seine raue Haut und seine großen Ohren aus. Es gehört zur Familie der Schweine und wird oft mit Wildschweinen verwechselt, obwohl es ganz eigene, unverwechselbare Merkmale aufweist. Das Warzenschwein lebt in Familiengruppen, sogenannten Herden, die aus 4 bis 16 Tieren bestehen können, hauptsächlich aus Weibchen und ihren Jungen. Ausgewachsene Männchen leben ab einem Alter von zwei Jahren als Einzelgänger. Es ist tagsüber aktiv. Auf der Suche nach Nahrung verbringt das Warzenschwein Stunden damit, den Boden nach Wurzeln, Knollen und anderen Leckereien zu durchwühlen.
🇪🇸 El facóquero es un mamífero de las sabanas africanas, conocido por su aspecto único y sus comportamientos intrigantes. Este animal destaca por sus prominentes colmillos, su piel rugosa y sus grandes orejas. Pertenece a la familia de los suidos y a menudo se le confunde con los jabalíes, aunque posee sus propias características distintivas. El facóquero vive en grupos familiares llamados manadas, que pueden estar formados por entre 4 y 16 individuos, principalmente hembras y sus crías. Los machos adultos viven en solitario a partir de los dos años. Es activo durante el día. Para alimentarse, el facóquero pasa horas hurgando en el suelo en busca de raíces, tubérculos y otros manjares.
🇮🇹 Il facocero è un mammifero delle savane africane, noto per il suo aspetto unico e i suoi comportamenti intriganti. Questo animale si distingue per le sue zanne prominenti, la pelle ruvida e le grandi orecchie. Appartiene alla famiglia dei suidi e viene spesso confuso con i cinghiali, sebbene possieda caratteristiche distintive proprie. Il facocero vive in gruppi familiari chiamati branchi, che possono comprendere da 4 a 16 individui, principalmente femmine e i loro piccoli. I maschi adulti vivono in solitudine a partire dai due anni di età. È attivo durante il giorno. Per nutrirsi, il facocero trascorre ore a scavare nel terreno alla ricerca di radici, tuberi e altre prelibatezze.
I was photographing a small flock of feeding dowitchers on the shore of a small, shallow lake when they started to move towards me as they probed the mud for worms and other invertebrates. They kept getting closer and closer. This one paused for a stretch right in front of me and filled the frame as it tilted forward and stretched out its leg and wing. A small movement from me sent the flying a little ways down the shore. It was pretty neat watching their behaviour that close up.