birding-aus

Cooperative feeding between a Little-black Cormorant and Platypus?

To: Barry Davies <>, "" <>
Subject: Cooperative feeding between a Little-black Cormorant and Platypus?
From: David James <>
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 02:23:54 -0700 (PDT)
Barry,
Burnett (1996: Sunbird 26(3) 76-8) reported on a feeding association between an 
Azure Kingfisher and a Platypus. He made a very brief and incomplete review 
of  feeding associations of birds (raptors) with mammals and machines in 
Aus.  This did not include any 'encouragement behaviour'. It would take quite a 
bit of work to review, but the 'encouragement behaviour' of the junior partner 
in a feeding association is likely to be extremely rare and possibly unique. 
 

From: Barry Davies <>
To: 
Sent: Wednesday, 27 April 2011 11:15 AM
Subject: Cooperative feeding between a Little-black Cormorant and Platypus?

Recently, at Sharp Park near Canungra in SEQ, Perth birder Mark Newman I saw a 
Platypus and a Little-black Cormorant feeding together in what appeared to be a 
cooperative manner. Whilst on the surface they were side by side with their 
bodies touching. The Cormorant gently pecked the Platypus on the tail and 
repeatedly ducked its head under the water next to the Platypus's head as if 
encouraging the Platypus to dive. When they dived they did so in unison. The 
Cormorant surfaced on average twice to the Platypus one but as soon as they 
were both on the surface the Cormorant immediately swam to the Platypus, never 
the other way around. Both animals were feeding successfully as they always had 
food in their mouths when they surfaced. I assume the Cormorant was feeding on 
creatures disturbed by the Platypus but I'm sure it wasn't just taking 
advantage of the Platypus being there, it was actively encouraging the Platypus 
to dive. The Platypus showed no signs of
 being disturbed by the Cormorant. Whether or not it dived as a response to the 
Cormorants 'encouragement' is impossible to say. We watched this behaviour for 
about 10-15 minutes. Has anyone else even seen similar behaviour?
Regards,
Barry Davies,
Beechmont SEQ

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