When I read this story, the only thing I found to be bizarre is that someone would allow their child to scream so much at a bird's nest that the birds actually "worked themselves into a frenzy". If I was a bird that never saw humans, I would jump and flap too at a screaming human being. beth -----Original Message----- From: Shawchyi.Vorisek@xxxxxx [mailto:Shawchyi.Vorisek@xxxxxx] Sent: Monday, July 26, 2004 8:57 AM To: birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [birdky] Re: bizarre heron behavior I agree - that would be bizarre but I tend to think that the adults did not purposefully push the young out but that they probably got excited flapping their wings, etc. and in the process the young got knocked out of the nest. Shawchyi Vorisek Avian Ecologist/Wildlife Diversity Program KY Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources #1 Game Farm Road Frankfort, KY 40601 (502)564-5448 Ext. 368 shawchyi.vorisek@xxxxxx http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/ Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachment, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender, by e-mail, and destroy all copies of the original message. -----Original Message----- From: Bruce Cryder [mailto:b.cryder@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 9:42 PM To: Shawchyi.Vorisek@xxxxxx Subject: Re: [birdky] Re: bizarre heron behavior I guess it's not bizarre if you ignore the part of the report that appears bizarre -- i.e., the adults pushing the young out of the nest. If the report is accurate, wouldn't the actions of the adults qualify as bizarre? Bruce Cryder, Lexington On Jul 20, 2004, at 9:17 AM, Shawchyi.Vorisek@xxxxxx wrote: > Steve, > I don't think this is bizarre at all. This is why we encourage folks > to > leave nesting sites (ie. rookeries) alone during the breeding season. > The > young obviously were not ready to leave the nest and could not yet > fly. By > being there, your friend inadvertently alarmed the rookery, and during > the > excitement, the young fell out of their nests plunging to their deaths. > This is similar to what would happen if you went up to a robin nest > with > young close to fledging - they startle and often flutter out of the > nest and > hopefully land on a nearby branch. However, with these herons, they > had > nowhere to go but down into the water since they couldn't fly yet. > Because > of this, we really discourage folks from going near active nests of all > native species. You may want to encourage your friend to canoe the > area > during the off-breeding months. > > Shawchyi Vorisek > Avian Ecologist/Wildlife Diversity Program > KY Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources > #1 Game Farm Road > Frankfort, KY 40601 > (502)564-5448 Ext. 368 > shawchyi.vorisek@xxxxxx > http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/ > > Confidentiality Notice: > This e-mail message, including any attachment, is for the sole use of > the > intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential information. Any > unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is strictly > prohibited. > If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender, by > e-mail, > and destroy all copies of the original message. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Kistlers [mailto:kistlers@xxxxxxxxx] > Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004 6:47 PM > To: Bird line > Subject: [birdky] bizarre heron behavior > > > This is a third hand report from a friend of a friend: > A woman and her young son were canoeing on the Nolin River > recently when > they passed a small great blue heron rookery which has been known for > several years. This is a little-used stretch of river, due to the fact > that > private landowners have gone to great lengths to blcok access to > boaters. > It's hard to find a spot to even launch a kayak. When they passed the > rookery, the young boy cried out loudly in excitement. What happened > next is > very strange: the birds started to panic and worked themselves into a > frenzy. The adults then pushed the baby birds out of the nest into the > river, where they drowned. The canoers were completely horrified. My > friend > says that she is entirely trustworthy. > Has anyone heard of such strange behavior ? The whole thing seems > unbelievable. > Steve Kistler > ================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS============== > > The BIRDKY Mailing List requires you to sign > your messages with first & last name, city, & > state abbreviation. > -------------------------------------------------- > To post to this mailing list, send e-mail to: > birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > -------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: > birdky-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line. > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > Visit the Kentucky Ornithological Society > web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos.htm > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison, Richmond, KY > E-mail: gary.ritchison@xxxxxxx > ================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS============== > > The BIRDKY Mailing List requires you to sign > your messages with first & last name, city, & > state abbreviation. > -------------------------------------------------- > To post to this mailing list, send e-mail to: > birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > -------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: > birdky-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line. > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > Visit the Kentucky Ornithological Society > web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos.htm > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison, Richmond, KY > E-mail: gary.ritchison@xxxxxxx > ================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS============== The BIRDKY Mailing List requires you to sign your messages with first & last name, city, & state abbreviation. -------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, send e-mail to: birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx -------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: birdky-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Kentucky Ornithological Society web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos.htm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison, Richmond, KY E-mail: gary.ritchison@xxxxxxx ================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS============== The BIRDKY Mailing List requires you to sign your messages with first & last name, city, & state abbreviation. -------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, send e-mail to: birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx -------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: birdky-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Kentucky Ornithological Society web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos.htm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison, Richmond, KY E-mail: gary.ritchison@xxxxxxx