Monthly Archives: March 2016

Mallards Make Ducklings

Nesting & Courtship, Water and Shore

Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) are common ducks in the northern hemisphere so their courtship behavior is easy to observe.  Here are tips on what you’ll see in March as they prepare for nesting next month.

Did you know that mallards are already paired up by now?  They start forming pair bonds in September and most have a mate by the end of the year.  This leaves some unattached bachelors however because their sex ratio is usually skewed — 1.33 males for every female.

Now that they’re paired up they get down to the serious business of making baby mallards.  The video above shows several characteristic moves and sounds of a paired couple:

  • Head bobbing: a pre-copulatory action that gets them in tune with each other.
  • Inciting:  The female (all brown) incites the male by dipping her bill in the water over her shoulder.
  • Leading: He turns back his head, then swims away from her to lead her away from the crowd; she follows.
  • Vocalizations: He whistles. She quacks loudly (only the females make the loud quacking sound).

The excitement went out of the pair shown above, but the video below shows head bobbing and copulation. Notice that the male always grabs the female by the back of the neck as he mounts her.  After mating the pair bridles (rears up) and steams (swims with head low).  Sometimes the male turns back his head and leads again.

Mallards are monogamous but Cornell Lab’s Birds of North America says that “paired males actively pursue forced extra pair copulations” — a polite name for what looks like gang rape.  Knowing this, the paired males stay close to their females to protect them during the egg laying period.

After egg laying their match falls apart.  Male mallards desert their mates during incubation and won’t pair up again until autumn.  They can afford to do this because the females incubate alone and the ducklings are precocious.

So it’s only once a year that wild mallards make ducklings.

 

(videos from YouTube. Click on the YouTube links to see the originals)

Reminder: Duck Hollow Walk, March 20

Books & Events

Mallard (photo by Steve Gosser)

CANCELED! Duck Hollow on Sunday March 20 at 8:30am

Just a reminder that I’m leading a bird and nature walk on Sunday March 20, 8:30am at Duck Hollow and the Lower Nine Mile Run Trail.

Meet at the Duck Hollow parking lot at the end of Old Browns Hill Road.

Dress for the weather. Bring binoculars and field guides if you have them.

Click here for more information and updates in case the walk is canceled for bad weather.

I’m hoping for ducks.  I’m sure we’ll see mallards.

See you soon.

(photo by Steve Gosser)

First Egg at Pitt for 2016

Nesting & Courtship, Peregrines
Peregrine, nicknamed Hope, with her first egg of 2016 (snasphot from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
Peregrine, nicknamed Hope, with her first egg of 2016 (snasphot from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)

Hope laid her first egg of the season at 9:32am today, 13 March 2016.

Congratulations, Hope and E2!

Watch the falconcam by clicking here or on the photo.

 

(screenshot from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ. of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning)

p.s. Here’s why she isn’t sitting on the eggs yet: http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/peregrine-faqs/question-sitting-on-eggs-or-not/

Falcons and Eagles: A Nestcam Round-up

Birds of Prey, Peregrines
Louie explores the nest area while Dori perches above at the Gulf Tower (photo from the National Aviary falconcam)
Louie explores the nest area on 10 March 2016 while Dori perches above (photo from the National Aviary falconcam at the Gulf Tower)

Raptor nesting season is already upon us.  Bald eagles have eggs.  Peregrine falcons will lay them soon.  Here are some opportunities to watch their nests from the comfort of your home.

  • Peregrine Falcon Cams:
    • Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh: My all-time favorite webcam shows Hope and E2 as they prepare to nest together for the first time.  Watch for eggs this month.
    • Gulf Tower, Downtown Pittsburgh: Dori and Louie, shown above, are spending time at the Gulf Tower this spring after nesting at non-camera sites for a few years.  Will they nest at Gulf this year? The real litmus test will be when Dori lays eggs, mid-March to early April. (*)
    • Times Square Building, Rochester New York: The female at Rochester’s Times Square has a Pittsburgh connection.  Beauty was born at the Cathedral of Learning in 2007. She’s Dorothy and Erie’s daughter.
    • Wilmington, Delaware: Red Girl at Wilmington is one of the first peregrines to lay eggs in the Mid-Atlantic. She already has four, laid March 5 through 10.
    • Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Falconcam: Another early nester, the female in Harrisburg began laying eggs on March 7.
  • Bald Eagle Cams:
    • Pittsburgh’s Hays and Harmar bald eagles:  Two nests on one convenient web page at eagles.aswp.org.  The Hays female laid her eggs on February 13, 16 and 20 so her first hatch will be (approx) March 19.  Harmar’s first egg was March 9 so watch for hatching on (approx) April 13.
    • Decorah, Iowa:  Decorah is one of the longest running eagles cams in the U.S.
    • Check the Eagleholic Eagle Cam list for a list of webcams complete with egg dates.  Pittsburgh’s two nests are listed as “Pittsburgh Hays” and “Harmar”.
  • Watch great horned owls, barred owls, red-tailed hawks and others at Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Bird Cam page.

This list is just a sampling.  If you have a favorite nestcam post it in Comments below.

 

(*) Keep in mind that the cameras show only a small piece of these birds’ lives.  You must visit their territories and observe them in person to see what’s really going on.  Case in point: Click here for two comments (read the question and answer) about yesterday’s lack of activity at the Gulf Tower.

(photo from the National Aviary falconcam at the Gulf Tower)

Seen in Schenley Park This Week

Deer, Phenology, Schenley Park
Cornelian cherry bud opening on 9 March 2016 (photo by Kate St. John)
Cornelian cherry bud opening on 9 March 2016. (photo by Kate St. John)

12 March 2016

Flowers, birds, and too many deer, here are some sightings from Schenley Park in this week’s abnormally warm weather.

Red maples and American elms are blooming and bush honeysuckles are opening their leaves.

Above, these yellow flowers are beautiful on a large ornamental shrub but I can’t identify it.  Do you know what it is?

Below, our days are sometimes graced by a roosting eastern screech-owl.  I saw him on Thursday but he’s often not there.  Benjamin Haake was lucky to photograph him.

Eastern screech-owl, Schenley Park (photo by Benjamin Haake)
Eastern screech-owl, Schenley Park (photo by Benjamin Haake)

A decade ago deer were rare in Schenley Park but their population doubles every two to three years (yes, it doubles) and it’s taking its toll.  This week I walked by the golf course and noticed these arborvitae trees are naked from the ground to the height of a deer.  The browse line indicates there are now too many deer in Schenley Park — more than the land can support.

Arborvitae eaten to the browse line, Schnley Park Golf Course (photo by Kate St. John)
The browse line: Arborvitae eaten by too many deer at Schenley Park Golf Course (photo by Kate St. John)

And finally, this plant is blooming in Schenley but also in lawns and waste places.  From long experience I know it’s hard to identify (and photograph).  Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) is a non-native that’s not in many field guides. Click here to learn more about it.

Hairy bittercress, 10 Mar 2016, Schenley Park (photo by Kate St. John)
Hairy bittercress, 10 Mar 2016, Schenley Park (photo by Kate St. John)

(flower and tree photos by Kate St. John. Eastern screech-owl by Benjamin Haake)

p.s. When I first published this post, I didn’t know the name of the yellow flowering tree. Adam Haritan identified it as Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas).

Ravens Dance?

Bird Behavior, Crows & Ravens

Lots of birds puff their head feathers and stand erect to show their dominance.  Common ravens do it, too.

When Zachary Cava filmed three ravens interacting in the Mojave Desert he thought they might be courting.  Was this courtship or was something very different going on?

Cornell’s Birds of North America explains that among common ravens,

The highest level of dominance is displayed by slowly walking highly erect with bill pointed upward, fluffing out throat hackles and [fluffing] feather tracts above legs to create “pant”-like appearance, elevating “ear” tufts, and flashing white nictitating membranes. Wings are spread slightly at the shoulders. Both males and females engage in this behavior, but it is more pronounced in males.  (credit: Bernd Heinrich)

Yes, these two ravens are working out who’s in charge.  So why is the third one bowing low with his head puffed up?

His actions resemble the male’s pair bond display to the female(*) but he’s got his back to the other two and they aren’t paying much attention.

Ravens don’t dance … or do they?

(video from YouTube by Zachary Cava)

(*) “In direct display to female, also fluffs out head, bows to female while spreading wings and tail, flashes white nictitating membranes, makes gurgling or choking sounds, and snaps bill.”  — credit Cornell Birds of North America

Will We Have An Early Spring?

Climate Change, Phenology, Weather & Sky

Dutchman's breeches, 25 March 2012 (photo by Kate St. John)
Dutchman’s breeches, 25 March 2012 (photo by Kate St. John)

Climate change is giving us some weird weather extremes.  From 9oF below normal a week ago we’ve now had two hot days 24 degrees above normal.

On Monday (March 7) I saw coltsfoot blooming in Schenley Park. It usually blooms in late March so this may be an indication that Spring is two weeks ahead of schedule.

In March 2012 we had an unprecedented heat wave in North America.  Pittsburgh had highs in the 80’s and all of our woodland wildflowers, which normally bloom from late March to late April, opened at the same time.  Dutchman’s breeches and trillium bloomed four weeks ahead of schedule.  Some plants were six weeks early.

In this trip down memory lane, read about the extreme spring of March 2012 in this post: The New Normal.

Do you think we’ll have an early Spring this year?

 

p.s.  We all like warm weather but be careful what you wish for.  Summer temperatures in March 2012 gave way to extreme heat in July 2012 with drought and highs of 100 degrees!   🙁

(photo by Kate St.John)

All The Right Moves

Nesting & Courtship, Peregrines

SW and Boomer in courtship flight, Cleveland, Ohio (photo by Chad + Chris Saladin)
SW and Boomer fly upside down in courtship flight, Cleveland, Ohio (photo by Chad + Chris Saladin)

Peregrine falcon courtship is underway in Pittsburgh but you’re missing a lot if you only see it on camera.

Peregrines have many courtship rituals that get them in tune for the breeding season.   Here’s what you’ll see at any one of Pittsburgh’s seven peregrine territories.  Click on the links below for additional descriptions and photos.

  1. Prominent perching:  Peregrines perch in prominent locations to show they own the place.  Established pairs perch near each other.
  2. Cooperative hunting: The pair goes out hunting together.  He kicks up a flock while she stoops on likely prey.
  3. Ledge Displays:  Peregrines display on the nest ledge over the scrape, at first alone then as a pair.  These are the only displays you’ll see on the falconcams.
  4. Courtship Flights:  Peregrines court in the air with speed and precision.  They even fly upside down (shown above).
  5. Food Transfers:  The male provides food for his mate.
  6. Copulation: Here’s how it’s done.

 

In our area the females lay eggs between mid March and early April, one egg every other day. Watch for the first egg at the Cathedral of Learning and Gulf Tower on the falconcams.

How will you know an egg is due soon?  The female will start to spend the night at the scrape a few days before her first egg.

In the meantime, our peregrines are making all the right moves.  Eggs coming soon.

 

(photo by Chad+Chris Saladin)

Pigeon Applause

Bird Behavior, Doves & Chickens
Two rock pigeons in flight (photo from Shutterstock)
(photo from Shutterstock)

Have you heard it?  It’s the sound of pigeon applause.

The wings of rock pigeons (Columba livia) often make whistling sounds when they fly, but during the breeding season the males’ wings make a clapping sound, too.

Like many birds, pigeons have courtship rituals before and after mating. Here’s a summary of what they do from Cornell’s Birds of North America:

  • Before they mate:
    • The male struts around the female: standing tall, inflating his neck, cooing, bowing and fanning his tail.
    • They preen each other on the head and neck.
    • The female asks the male to feed her, like a nestling, by regurgitation. This may be called “billing”
  • They mate: The female crouches. The male mounts her and balances with open wings.
  • Afterward the male may do a post-copulatory flight display:
    • He takes off loudly clapping his wings on the upstroke (behind him) for 3-5 wingbeats.
    • And then he glides with his wings up in a “V”

Play the audio clip below to hear that distinctive clap.

Listen for it this spring.

(photo from Shutterstock. Click on the image to see the original)

Coming Soon: Walks in Duck Hollow and Schenley Park

Books & Events, Schenley Park

Crocuses blooming (photo by Kate St. John)
Crocuses blooming (photo by Kate St. John)

Spring is coming so let’s get outdoors!

Just as I did last year, I’ll be leading bird and nature walks once a month beginning in late March.  This year I’m branching out to include Duck Hollow/Lower Nine Mile Run as well as Schenley Park.

Come out with me to see birds and trees, blooms and bees.  On each walk we’ll travel slowly, keeping our eyes and ears open for the latest birds and flowers.

Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes that aren’t afraid of mud. Bring binoculars and field guides if you have them. The walks will begin at 8:30am and last two hours but you can bow out early if you wish.

Here’s the schedule for the first three walks.  More will follow in summer and fall; stay tuned.

As each date approaches I’ll post a reminder here on the blog.  Visit my Events page any time for directions and up-to-date information including cancellations and rain dates.

Hope to see you on March 20 at Duck Hollow.  It’s time for Spring!

 

(photo by Kate St.John)