I
have seen the ‘dead-branch’ posture with Dusky chicks, shown in this pic (2006
at Kelly Rd) … http://www.flickr.com/photos/ozjulian/2092049713/
The
chick adopted the posture in response to an alarm call from parent, when a
Kestrel appeared.
Julian
www.flickr.com/photos/ozjulian/
From: Geoffrey
Dabb [ Sent: Friday, 10 January 2014 16:03 To:
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds]
White-browed Woodswallows - dy defensive pose
Yes
- I have seen that freezing behaviour, head raised stiffly, sufficiently
often with White-broweds to think it is typical early fledging (not necessarily
premature fledging) behaviour in response to a possible predator. It does
not seem to happen with Duskies, for example the below premature fledger
(discussed earlier) at Stony Creek which remained active and was eventually
called back to the nest site by the parents. One assumes that the alarm
calls by the parents prompt freezing (up to a point) in the White-browed,
otherwise with Duskies
From: Philip
Veerman
Sent: Friday, 10 January 2014 1:45 PM
To: 'Leo Berzins';
Subject:
[canberrabirds] White-browed Woodswallows - dy defensive
pose
I
thought the observation and photo from Leo to be really curious (as I had not
known of passerines to do that) and it is well worth showing to a bigger
audience. I had not encountered it or did not remember having heard of that
behaviour before. I have just got around to checking HANZAB about it and
although there are a lot of pages to scan through, it did not take long. Vol 7A
page 431 for White-browed
Woodswallows under
"Anti-predator response of young" describes some prior observations of what I
assume to be exactly that pose. It even cites (our own well known) G Dabb in an
article (1999) in CBN 24(1):29-30. Although that described the posture as
"frozen", which maybe Geoff can comment on whether it was the same thing.
Curiously I don't see the same comment given for other Woodswallow species.
I
normally would delete a photo if responding to a message but in this case
it is relevant to keep it in.
-----Original Message-----From: Leo Berzins
Sent: Tuesday, 7 January 2014 6:59 PM To:
Subject:
[canberrabirds] Re: White-browed Woodswallows
Jude
reported White-browed Woodswallows vigorously protecting their young on the
ground.
I
observed the same behaviour last week at Campbell Park and naturally moved on
when I realised what the fuss was about.
Passing
by the same spot an hour or so later, I observed a very different behaviour. A
young W-b Woodswallow (possibly the same one) was motionless on a dead branch at
eye level and doing its best Tawny Frogmouth impression. The parents were nearby
but kept silent as I moved in a little closer for a quick
photo.
