[TN-Bird] Re: street fight
- From: "Reese, Carol" <jreese5@xxxxxxx>
- To: "tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2012 16:25:37 +0000
I have witnessed a few vicious brawls between male bluebirds, and each time it
has been over the preferred house, not a female. Usually they are already mated
for the year and trying to take over a preferred nesting site.
I have one house that has its fourth batch of eggs in it this year. Hope they
don't cook in this heat, as this house has no shade whatsoever. The house
alongside my driveway has afternoon shade beginning about 3:00, and its most
recent brood just fledged.
"There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot."
- Aldo Leopold<http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/43828.Aldo_Leopold>
Carol Reese
Ornamental Horticulture Specialist -Western District
University of Tennessee Extension Service
605 Airways Blvd.
Jackson TN 38301
731 425 4767 email jreese5@xxxxxxx<mailto:jreese5@xxxxxxx>
From: tn-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tn-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Carole Gobert
Sent: Monday, July 02, 2012 11:09 AM
To: Tennessee Bird List
Subject: [TN-Bird] street fight
I stepped out of my front door this morning in west Knox County and witnessed a
vicious altercation between two male Eastern Bluebirds. They were locked in
furious battle right down on the street with the presumed object of their
desire watching intently a few inches from them. At one point she actually got
between them; they ignored her. A more disinterested observer, an Eastern
Phoebe, also on the pavement, watched from a safe distance. I watched for at
least a minute as the combatants periodically flew straight up a few times,
still fighting, then quickly returned to the street where they rolled around
pecking at each other. Every so often they would pause for a few seconds,
still locked together, to catch their breath. Eventually one male flew off. I
suppose the resident male had driven off the intruder. Or vice versa. I've
had one couple nesting in the yard and they have recently constructed a third
nest after successfully fledging two broods.
Carole Gobert, Knoxville
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