FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers

["Patti Reum and Tom Brody" <bearmountain@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I am fortunate to live where Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers breed, and even more 
fortunate to watch close-up the antics of these animated birds. I first noticed 
an unusual activity from an adult male this past spring, perched on the ridge 
top of our roof for about 15-20 minutes.  He laid flat on the peak of the roof, 
spreading his wings out droopily over the edges, and he stayed that way for 
quite a while. Other times he would drum incessantly on the chimney or the 
satellite dish, or sometimes on the transformer of the power line, often very 
early in the morning. But the most interesting sapsucker behavior was that of 
the young birds.  In their early days of flight, they would constantly beg for 
food from their parents as they perched from a nearby tree, or practice their 
climbing skills on the railings of the deck. They often chased each other in a 
game of tag through the branches of the large maple tree in the front of the 
house.  As the summer progressed and the days grew warmer, they performed a 
ritual that I have never witnessed before.  Two or three would land on the top 
board of the deck, lay flat on their bellies, spread their wings out very flat, 
then rotate themselves clock-wise. They seemed to do this in sync with each 
other.  Occasionally they would flutter and shake a wing, but return to the 
same action.  They often would stay in the same position, oriented in the same 
direction towards the sun. They almost looked like they were suffering from 
heat exhaustion, since their bodies and wings were so flattened.  Were they 
practicing some sort of thermoregulation or perhaps de-bugging themselves? Or 
were they just playing games, some sort of avian "Follow the Leader" or 
"Hokey-Pokey?"

Patti Reum
Bear Mountain Farm

Highland County