birding-aus

White-faced Heron behaviour

To: "Birding-aus" <>
Subject: White-faced Heron behaviour
From: "Robyn Howard" <>
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2006 12:16:14 +1000
For several months, I have been having trouble with twigs in the bird-bath
dish on the ground in my backyard.   Each day after work, I would find at
least 2 twigs 30 cm or longer, and with branchlets, normally quite thin but
sometimes a little thicker.    I could not understand how the wind could
always blow these right into the dish!   Each day, I would throw the twigs
in the bin, and next day there would be more.

 

I finally watched the White-faced Heron one day as I relaxed on the deck.
He is a regular visitor, most days.  He carefully selected twigs from
further up the yard, carried them back and dropped them in the dish.    If
he missed, he'd carefully place it in.   Next step was to jiggle them around
so that they became completely wet.   Always at least 2 twigs, but up to 4.
If I leave them there, nothing further happens.   He does not exceed the 4
twigs.   But as soon as I remove them, he replaces them the next day.

 

It is very definite behaviour.   Is he just a little nutty - obsessive
compulsive behaviour, perhaps? - or is this something normal?    Has anyone
else seen this type of behaviour.

 

Robyn



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