Tag Archives: Bird Behavior

Wood Storks Clacking

While watching a group of wading birds feed I kept hearing a clacking or crunching noise. I checked the Alligators, as I’ve seen them catch dinner plate sized blue crabs in this pond then crunch-crunch them…

Wood Storks
Wood Storks

Then I spotted it: the two right hand birds in this group of Wood Storks was doing some beak clacking or snapping. I couldn’t tell if it was all beak on beak, or if the individuals were also clapping their own beaks. Either was it was a pretty dramatic sound effect.

Wood Storks
Wood Storks

The behavior didn’t appear to be aggressive and I don’t know if it had some breeding implication.

Wood Storks
Wood Storks

A couple of the others just went on with their preening, the two on the right had a long look at the sky, then it was over.

Wood Storks
Wood Storks

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
April 2, 2023

Great Blue Heron Repurposing The Skinny Tree Nest

It seems that the Great Blue Heron couple have abandoned nesting at the Skinny Tree sometime in the last week.

Great Blue Heron at Skinny Tree
Great Blue Heron at Skinny Tree

Another enterprising GBH spent a couple hours on Tuesday removing material from what had appeared to be a robust nest.

Great Blue Heron at Skinny Tree, Stealing Sticks
Great Blue Heron at Skinny Tree, Stealing Sticks

This heron’s nest is just at the other end of the pond, in the big island.

Great Blue Heron at Skinny Tree, Stealing Sticks
Great Blue Heron at Skinny Tree, Stealing Sticks

He made lots of trips mostly with small branches while I was watching.

Great Blue Heron Leaving Skinny Tree with Stolen Stick
Great Blue Heron Leaving Skinny Tree with Stolen Stick

Of course it is not theft to them, it is taking advantage of easy pickings.

Great Blue Heron Leaving Skinny Tree with Stolen Stick
Great Blue Heron Leaving Skinny Tree with Stolen Stick

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
January 31, 2023

Black-bellied Whistling Duck Kerfuffle

Several groups of 10-20 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were scattered around the first pond at Orlando Wetlands. Most of them were resting or quietly feeding. Then there was this group.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Black-bellied Whistling Duck – cowabunga!

They were creating quite a flap, one or two flying straight up a few feet then wham, dropping into the middle of the group.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Black-bellied Whistling Duck

It seems too early in the year to be a breeding/territory thing. And there appeared to be plenty of food to go around.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Black-bellied Whistling Duck

A couple of Coots were unperturbed by the action.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Orlando Wetlands, Christmas, FL
January 18, 2023

Roseate Spoonbill Taking His Share Out Of The Middle

While the Snowy Egret pretended not to notice, the Roseate Spoonbill hopped to the front of the old duck blind frame.

Snowy Egret and Roseate Spoonbill
Snowy Egret and Roseate Spoonbill

And two-stepped his way closer to the Snowy Egret.

Snowy Egret and Roseate Spoonbill
Snowy Egret and Roseate Spoonbill

Who may still have been pretending, but he slid a bit closer to the end.

Snowy Egret and Roseate Spoonbill
Snowy Egret and Roseate Spoonbill

And there they stood…for a few minutes.

Snowy Egret and Roseate Spoonbill
Snowy Egret and Roseate Spoonbill

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
November 11, 2022

Roseate Spoonbill Finding His Spot

I hoped to see the sun rise this morning, a nice late 7:40 am. Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday and we go back to having to get up at O’dark thirty to get out anywhere to see that spectacle.

Instead an odd high fog kept the sun hidden until after 10:30. In the meantime, there were plenty of birds flying around, including a few Roseate Spoonbills  that seemed to be at odds about where to land.

Roseate Spoonbill in Flight
Roseate Spoonbill in Flight

This one finally chose the already occupied frame of an old duck blind.

Roseate Spoonbill Landing Over Snowy Egret
Roseate Spoonbill Landing Over Snowy Egret

Nailed the landing.

Roseate Spoonbill Landing Next To Snowy Egret
Roseate Spoonbill Landing Next To Snowy Egret

The Snowy Egret pretended not to notice.

Roseate Spoonbill Landing Next To Snowy Egret
Roseate Spoonbill Landing Next To Snowy Egret

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
November 11, 2022

King of the Hill: Roseate Spoonbill

The Roseate Spoonbill from my previous post hopped up on a small snag as the Tricolored Heron moved on. Being king of the hill or the first to occupy any object sticking out of the water seems to be a common Spoonbill behavior.

Roseate Spoonbill
Roseate Spoonbill

It was something of a balancing act as the upturned roots didn’t provide a perch that looked suitable for those feet.

Roseate Spoonbill
Roseate Spoonbill

He soon thought better of the idea and jumped down…

Roseate Spoonbill
Roseate Spoonbill

…making an easy water landing.

Roseate Spoonbill
Roseate Spoonbill

Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge,  FL
April 12, 2022

Follow The Leader: Roseate Spoonbill and Tricolored Heron

Note: this post was supposed to get published this morning before “King of the Hill” and for some unknown reason is marked “Missed Schedule.” Not sure what is up with that, but here it is … I hope.

Wading birds often take advantage of another bird of their own or a different species leading the way as they feed.

Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron
Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron

It can work both ways.

Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron
Tricolored Heron Following Roseate Spoonbill

The Spoonbill will benefit from the edible morsels that get stirred up by the Heron’s passing by as he sifts the water.

Roseate Spoonbill With Tricolored Heron
Roseate Spoonbill With Tricolored Heron

The Heron is looking for larger prey, which also can reveal their position as the birds wade around.

Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron
Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron

These two birds stuck together for several minutes until the Spoonbill got distracted by another activity, seen in my next post.

Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron
Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron

Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge,  FL
April 12, 2022

Common Gallinule Pair Having a Spat

Two Common Gallinules were making a splash.

Common Gallinule Pair Having a Spat
Common Gallinule Pair Having a Spat

A little dispute ensued…

Common Gallinule Pair Having a Spat
Common Gallinule Pair Having a Spat

A point was made…

Common Gallinule Pair Having a Spat
Common Gallinule Pair Having a Spat

Face off!

Common Gallinule Pair Having a Spat
Common Gallinule Pair Having a Spat

Ok, it’s all over, nothing more to see…

Common Gallinule Pair Having a Spat
Common Gallinule Pair Having a Spat

Or not!

Common Gallinule Pair Having a Spat
Common Gallinule Pair Having a Spat

Orlando Wetlands, Florida
April 12, 2022

Reddish Egret Session Photobombed

There is no etiquette amongst the wading birds.

Reddish Egret
Reddish Egret

Birds just drop in on each other, no announcement necessary.

Reddish Egret, Glossy Ibis dropping in
Reddish Egret, Glossy Ibis dropping in

You were busy fishing, I’ll share your spot.

Reddish Egret, Glossy Ibis dropping in, Tricolored Heron flying by
Reddish Egret, Glossy Ibis dropping in, Tricolored Heron flying by

Maybe just hop a bit further on.

Reddish Egret, Glossy Ibis dropping in
Reddish Egret, Glossy Ibis dropping in

I don’t know if they actually touched, but it sure was close.

Reddish Egret, Glossy Ibis dropping in
Reddish Egret, Glossy Ibis dropping in

The Reddish Egret never kept to his path and the Ibis did keep moving. Once the Ibis touched down he didn’t look as big as with his wings out.

Reddish Egret, Glossy Ibis
Reddish Egret, Glossy Ibis

According to Cornell’s All About Birds, the Glossy Ibis at 19-26 inches(48-66 cm) in length is slightly smaller than the Reddish Egret  at 28-31 inches (70-80 cm).

Black Point Wildlife Drive
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, FL
April 12, 2022