birding-aus

Re: Unusual display by Fairy-wren

To: <>, <>
Subject: Re: Unusual display by Fairy-wren
From: "Vicki Parslow Stafford" <>
Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 19:06:03 -0500
----------
> From: 
> I recently watched a male Superb Fairy-wren performing a display of some
> sort.  The bird was in the southern Grampians N.P. in south west
Victoria.
> 
> The bird was creeping along the ground, mouselike, weaving its way around
> small shrubs, bits of wood etc.  Its tail and head were lowered giving it
> a humpbacked appearance.  My impression was that the blue patches on the
> head and upper body were raised or fluffed up somehow as they certainly
> seemd prominent. 

I've seen a "rodent run" display by a female Superb Fairy-wren.  This
seemed to be a defensive tactic, as it occurred when other birds alighted
close to her nest full of newly hatched babies.  As you say, the posture is
very mouse- or rat-like, with head and tail lowered and back feathers
erect.

Jim Davis described this behaviour in a recent issue of Interpretive
Birding Bulletin.  Jim may know whether this behaviour occurs in males as
well.

Vicki PS

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