Thread subject: The Birds Relationship??
Name |
Date |
Message |
Tiger |
03/24/05 01:58 pm |
I was wondering if anyone else was thinking about the relationship between the birds?
Firstly do they know each other from last year?
For a stable relationship a male needs to be good at:
1. Defending the nest
2. Building the nest
3. Supplying fish to the female
4. Copulating with the female
I have some doubts about this male's ability with regard to 1 and 3.
Any thoughts? |
Melanie |
03/24/05 03:23 pm |
Would he normally bring fish to the nest before she starts incubating? I missed that part of last year. I came in after all 4 eggs were laid. |
Tiger |
03/24/05 03:26 pm |
Oh I can think of one female osprey who gets fed from the moment she arrives back from her migration until the chicks are raised.
But then maybe she has a particularly attentive husband!
|
karen |
03/24/05 04:17 pm |
Tiger I have doubts about this male also altho he did build a very nice nest he seems lacking in testerone in other areas! He has brought fish at least twice but he seems so timid and subservient when the female is around.
Melanie he should be bringing her fish to "woo" her! and get the romance started.
and Tiger what female osprey are you thinking of?
|
Tiger |
03/24/05 05:02 pm |
Karen I am thinking of the young female at Rutland Water. But then she is the only female among seven males so she could easily find a new male!
See:
http://www.ospreys.org.uk/AWOP/Breeding2004B.htm
Oh the male I am talking about arrived back yesterday!
I agree with you that this male seems a bit timid. I particularly enjoy his mating ritual. It is as if he kneels down to pray before attempting it. :)
BTW you will have noticed that Bluebeard is making excellent progress on his way back to Martha's Vineyard.
|
Celeste |
03/24/05 05:26 pm |
I also wonder about this male.....If there are eggs this year, it will be interesting to see how this male reacts if it is not Dennis....If you recall how many times Betty had to "kick" Dennis off the eggs when he took over sitting to giver her a break...Also....Dennis last year was an extremely good provider which contributed to the 3 chick survival....Time will tell... |
Tiger |
03/24/05 05:43 pm |
Dennis did have a liking for goldfish! Wonder if this male will?
|
Cecilia |
03/24/05 05:44 pm |
He sure does seem reluctant to part with a fish when he brings it into the nest, that's for sure. I can't remember if Dennis did that last year. But the fact that he's bringing in fish seems like a good sign.
I also don't remember Dennis throwing his chest into the nest and working on the "bowl", with his rump up in the air, like this fellow is doing and I haven't had the patience to go back and look at the archived Obs. These subtle differences may be all we will have to help us determine if this is the real Dennis or a pretender to the throne :-) |
Tiger |
03/24/05 05:49 pm |
Who is expecting the "real Dennis" to turn up and evict this imposter?
|
Cecilia |
03/24/05 05:57 pm |
Ahhh Tiger...there's a question :-) I'm still half wiling to believe that he IS Dennis. But I can't be trusted because I would like to believe that at least one of our pair (from the last few years) has survived. It's just too sad to think that both of them having died along the way. |
Tiger |
03/24/05 06:00 pm |
It would be very unusual for two adults birds to fail to return.
I cannot think of a single example of that having happened although it must have done.
|
Mickey |
03/24/05 07:54 pm |
Cecilia makes valid points regarding this male and I agree.Last years Dennis gave up fish very easily during breeding (in fact the whole season)
Woodhole tracking still has Bluebeard in South America. As far North before crossing water. This bird is 2.5-3.5 weeks away from home. Thats 1 solid month late ! Maybe Bluebeard is old and tired? who knows. Im still holding hope for the real B+D. :)
This male seems weak in 1,3 + 4 to me.
But we gotta give him a A+ in nest building! |
Tim P |
03/24/05 08:47 pm |
I think they both are new to the nest and to each other. |
cathy |
03/24/05 10:24 pm |
I think Bluebeard is in South America for the first time. I recall their saying how remarkable it was that he made it to Columbia first, although he was a new chick. If my recollection is correct, he won't be coming back this year. |
Tiger |
03/25/05 07:03 am |
Oh no Cathy Bluebeard is a mature male as he nested last year. Right now he is winging his way north at about 100 miles a day.
see:
http://www.bioweb.uncc.edu/bierregaard/maps05/332-050323.htm
You must be thinking of Jaws which is a juvenile bird. |
cathy |
03/25/05 10:39 am |
Right - I was thinking of Jaws. |