Re: bad male rehaviour in birds, what about the New Zealand Stitchbird?
Unescorted males hang around a mated pair and wait for the male to go
out of sight, when one will attack the female, thrust her on her back
and commit the dirty dead. I believe these are the only birds so far
known to mate in the missionary position, due to unusual position of the
male testis when in breeding condition.
------ Forwarded Message
From: Denise Goodfellow <>
Date: Mon, 19 May 2008 07:27:29 +0930
To: storm <>
Conversation: [Birding-Aus] Partners
Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Partners
Rape is apparently possible among birds. Back in the 1970s I read that the
feeding of mallards in British parks had ensured the survival of larger
numbers of male birds. There not being enough females they took to
mass-mounting thus drowning several. The report also stated that the
frustrated drakes also attacked an owl and swans.
In many taxa (dolphins for one) several males will pursue an female until
she relents.
Denise LG
on 18/5/08 8:04 PM, storm at wrote:
Belinda -
The bird who is a good provider for you and your chicks, may not be the one
who's genetic heritage you want to pass on.
DNA analysis on chicks has shown that the females in bird species that raise
in pairs chose to have sex with males other than their pair. As rape is
difficult/impossible in most avian species this is a choice the females are
making.
There is nothing wrong with being attactch to the romantic ideal of fidelity
if it's working in your life but it's a view that is not sustainable when it
comes to free living birds.
cheers
storm
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