Western Bluebird foraging behavior that really surprised me was aerial Hawking
insects on the wing (not perched then hawking from a perch). Once observed
several Western Bluebirds at Whitehorse Park near the boat launch actually
aerial hawking insects a good distance above the ground (recall at least 25-35
feet up). Swallows were actively aerial foraging at about the same distance
above the ground also.
Dennis
----- Original Message -----
From: Larry McQueen
To: avnwmn@xxxxxxxxxx
Cc: obol
Sent: Monday, May 30, 2016 10:30 AM
Subject: [obol] Re: Hovering Western Bluebirds
Fran,
This is known behavior of bluebirds, but most especially of the Mountain
Bluebird, which appear to hunt in the manner of kestrels.
Larry
On May 30, 2016, at 10:18 AM, Fran Taylor <avnwmn@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Mon. 5/30/16
Hello:
I wonder if anyone else has observed this behavior in Western
Bluebirds?
While at Deer Creek Center in Selma, Oregon on Saturday, I observed two
Western Bluebird males hovering over a pasture. They had been perched on a
power line over the field, and when they flew down, they hovered, wings
fluttering, much like a kite. The activity was brief, but definite.
(I live in the Hugo area north of Grants Pass. Deer Creek Center is on
the Illinois River Road in Selma, and is home to Siskiyou Field Institute.)
Fran Taylor
avnwmn@xxxxxxxxxx 541-955-2934
