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Dear Val and birders,
Val wrote:-
"We watched them for a
while and then I had the most incredible view of a male SFW holding
a yellow petal in its beak, black feathers all fluffed out so that he looked
like a little blue and black ball offering his yellow petal to a female. I have
read about this display but in all my thirty odd years of birdwatching have
never seen one using the yellow petal. We had wonderful views of this and were
very thrilled to witness such a
spectacular event."
How lovely!
In that case I'll have to add to this, as it may be
'normal' behavior among most wrens:-
I was with Nevil Lazarus at Round Hill 25/8
(north-west of Lake Cargelligo, west of Parkes, NSW)when we were thrilled to
observe a male Splendid Wren (race Melanotus) offer his girl a
tiny purple-blue flower, which she accepted upon which they flew off -- they
also had fluffed out feathers!! HANZAB volume 5, top rhs corner page
281, describes "Petal Displays" among Superb Fairy-wrens. Wonderful stuff!!
Thanks Val,
Regards,
Peter Madvig
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