[texbirds-freelists] Re: [texbirds] Raptors - Locking Talons during fight and falling into Death Spiral

  • From: Gilbert Wade <ghwade3@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:34:35 -0700

Several years ago I worked in a high rise office in Las Colinas (Irving).  Two 
red-tails were flying at basically my eye level when one dove at the other.  
The bottom bird rolled on its back and they locked talons.  The energy from the 
top bird's dive threw them into a head over tail roll.  After about the 2nd or 
3rd roll they both extended their wings which stopped the forward roll and 
changed it into a downward spin.  They released before they hit the ground.
 
Gilbert Wade
ghwade3@xxxxxxxxx
817 925-3801

Certified Music Practitioner   ( o ) ===:::
Music for Healing and Transition Program (www.mhtp.org)

 
Creative Artist in Residence Musician  
Cooks Childrens Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas

 


________________________________
 From: Ian Layton <ilayton@xxxxxxxxx>
To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2012 3:03 PM
Subject: Re: [texbirds] Raptors - Locking Talons during fight and falling into  
       Death Spiral
 
Mark,
During the Lost Pines CBC this past December (12/17/2011) , my wife,
Cindy and I along with Jim Giocomo of American Bird Conservancy observed
this behavior. It occurred over the Colorado River in eastern Travis
County (north of Garfield), which was the extreme western part of our
circle. We assumed it was the pair that have been nesting just west of
Webberville. It occurred pretty early in the day. All three of us
observed this both through binoculars and scope. Fascinating and
awe-inspiring! Unfortunately, no pictures or video :-(

On 4/22/2012 2:28 PM, Mark B Bartosik wrote:
> Bald Eagles are well known for locking talons during the courtship (but can
> also do that during fight) and falling into what is called “Death Spiral”
> (btw accidental deaths during courtship were recorded). Evidently this event
> is not often photographed as only a small number of photos and even less
> videos are posted on the internet. I do not really expect replies  (absent
> of answers is good info anyway) but have a question: Did anybody observed
> this behavior here in Texas? I am quite interested to see it in nature for
> comparison but have no desire to chase eagles in Alaska. I did see once
> White-tailed Kite pair locking talons during courtship in BNWR but this was
> a very distant look. I am trying to (finally) work on a lot of Osprey photos
> (I am behind a few years) and was working among other things on
> illustrations showing their aggressive encounters. If I want to take a look,
> here are a few examples of locking talons during fights; death spirals, etc:
>
> Locking Talons during the strike moment:
>
> http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142839012
>
> Death Spirals (with locked talons):
>
> http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142839014
>
> http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142842562
>
> http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142839031
>
> http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142839032
>
> http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142839034
>
>
> Also moments of defensive mid-air postures with outstretched talons:
>
> http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142784852
>
> http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142839021
>
> Animated movements:
>
> http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142784845
>
> http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142839141
>
> Many more photos can be found in folders I am working on now at this link:
>
> http://www.pbase.com/mbb/from_the_field
>
> Mark B Bartosik
> Houston, Texas
>
> TEXBIRDS help file and Texas birding links at: 
> http://moonmountaingroup.com/texbirds
>
>

--
Ian M. Layton
Cedar Creek
Bastrop County, TX

TEXBIRDS help file and Texas birding links at: 
http://moonmountaingroup.com/texbi
TEXBIRDS help file and Texas birding links at: 
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