How Snipe tail feathers swork

["chrishails50" chrishails50]

Dear all,

Lots of inspiring snipe sounds here this week (thanks Curt and Mark - lovel=
y stuff) snipes are thin on the round where I live, but one day maybe I'll =
get close........ Anyway, I had always assumed that snipe tail feathers wer=
e stiff things that vibrated like a tuning fork, but this piece from the BB=
C shows the feather vane actually flaps backwards and forwards like a flag =
in the wind, this creates drag and so the male can demonstrate its fitness =
by the display. Good high-speed video (wait for the damned advert to play t=
hrough)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10088290.stm

David Kuhn, I add my condolances to others, couple of weeks back I lost a c=
heap camera when someone put a brick through my car window to get it - noth=
ing akin to your loss....

Chris