Re: [Birding-Aus] Re Starlings hawking

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Convergent evolution????

-----Original Message-----
From: Philip Veerman [
Sent: Friday, 17 November 2006 9:44 PM
To: ANDREW ADCOCK
Cc: Birding-aus (E-mail);
Subject: [canberrabirds] Re: [Birding-Aus] Re Starlings hawking

Hi Andrew,

 

Yes but I'd suggest the odd thing is not particularly the "hawking insects" but that they take on very much the flight shape and style of woodswallows for a few seconds. It probably has little or nothing to do with woodswallows (which otherwise fly quite differently), so it is not likely to be behavioural mimicry, more like a coincidence. Hard to describe how, but they just don't move like starlings usually do, when indulging this behaviour. It is easy to think for a moment, such birds seen not close up, are woodswallows.

 

Philip