birding-aus

Figbird behaviour

To: "birding-aus" <>
Subject: Figbird behaviour
From: Carol Probets <>
Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2000 23:35:06 +1100
Ronald Orenstein wrote:
>At 02:13 PM 17/07/00 +1000, Terry Pacey wrote:
>>Most of the time it sat with its feathers puffed out making it look much
>>larger than it was.  At intervals it spread its wings and tail in the
>>fashion of a cormorant drying itself.  The weather was fine, warm and there
>>was no way the Figbird's feathers were wet.
>Could the bird have simply been sunning itself, with the feathers fluffed
>to allow sunlight to reach the skin?  Certainly cuckoos will do this,
>though I have not heard that figbirds do.
>--

Australian Magpies do it too, usually with a glazed look in their eyes! I
believe that letting the sun in onto the skin, apart from probably feeling
good, might help to control ectoparasites.

Carol







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