next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects
Index of Subjects --94eb2c034d340829ca05199748e2 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Well so it is, thanks Margaret! Fascinating to observe it! My 87 year old dad was here at the time and first pointed it out to me, I'll have to let him know! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anting_(bird_activity) Jamie On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 11:51 AM Margaret Fraser <m_fraser65@yahoo.ca> wrote: > "Anting" is a well described bird behaviour. It is thought that the formic > acid secreted by the ants may have some beneficial effect for the > bird,possibly by inhibiting parasite numbers in the feathers (or so I was > taught in ornithology class in the late 80's). Cheers, > Margaret Fraser > > Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android > <https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/mobile/?.src=Android> > ------------------------------ > *From*:"Shouty McShoutsalot" <desolatechair@gmail.com> > *Date*:Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 11:37 am > *Subject*:[NatureNS] Bizarre Raven Behaviour > > Ravens are such interesting birds. > > I have a sandstone stone fire pit behind my cottage. To the side is an > unmown area we keep wood, kindling etc. > > This morning I observed a Northern Raven hunkered down in this area, > almost as if he was taking a dirt bath or incubating an egg. Occasionally > he would twitch erratically, take a small leap, and then preen some part of > his anatomy, pick around the debris a little, then resettle in position and > repeat. > > There were two other Ravens in the trees close by. > > My first thought was he was entangled in something and trying to get free. > However, after about ten minutes of this, he flew off, apparently no worse > for wear. > > When I examined the immediate area of action I observed hundreds of red > ants, highly agitated, roaming around the rocks and logs and looking for > trouble. > > Clearly defending the nest from the Raven. My theory is the bird > deliberately stirred them up so he could eat them, at the cost of many > bites. > > It looked like a painful investment for a small return but I can't think > of anything more probable? > > Ants must taste some good! > > Jamie Simpson > --94eb2c034d340829ca05199748e2 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr">Well so it is, thanks Margaret!=C2=A0 Fascinating to obser= ve it!=C2=A0 My 87 year old dad was here at the time and first pointed it o= ut to me, I'll have to let him know!<div><br></div><div><a href=3D"http= s://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anting_(bird_activity)">https://en.wikipedia.org/= wiki/Anting_(bird_activity)</a><br></div><div><br></div><div>Jamie</div></d= iv><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr">On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at = 11:51 AM Margaret Fraser <<a href=3D"mailto:m_fraser65@yahoo.ca">m_frase= r65@yahoo.ca</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" styl= e=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><table = cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" border=3D"0"><tr><td valign=3D"top">&qu= ot;Anting" is a well described bird behaviour. It is thought that the = formic acid secreted by the ants may have some beneficial effect for the bi= rd,possibly by inhibiting parasite numbers in the feathers (or so I was tau= ght in ornithology class in the late 80's). Cheers,<div>Margaret Fraser= <br><br><p><a href=3D"https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/mobile/?.src=3DAndroi= d" target=3D"_blank">Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android</a></p> <hr><table cel= lspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" border=3D"0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign=3D"t= op"> <div style=3D"font-family:Roboto,sans-serif;color:#7e7d80"><b>From</b>= :"Shouty McShoutsalot" <<a href=3D"mailto:desolatechair@gmail.= com" target=3D"_blank">desolatechair@gmail.com</a>><br><b>Date</b>:Sun, = Jun 28, 2015 at 11:37 am<br><b>Subject</b>:[NatureNS] Bizarre Raven Behavio= ur<br><br></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></table><table ce= llspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" border=3D"0"><tr><td valign=3D"top"><div>= <table cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" border=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td vali= gn=3D"top"> <div dir=3D"ltr">Ravens are such interesting birds.=C2=A0<div><= br></div><div>I have a sandstone stone fire pit behind my cottage.=C2=A0 To the side is an unmown area we keep wood, kindling etc.<d= iv><br></div><div>This morning I observed a Northern Raven hunkered down in= this area, almost as if he was taking a dirt bath or incubating an egg. Oc= casionally he would twitch erratically, take a small leap, and then preen s= ome part of his anatomy, pick around the debris a little, then resettle in = position and repeat.</div><div><br></div><div>There were two other Ravens i= n the trees close by.</div><div><br></div><div>My first thought was he was = entangled in something and trying to get free. However, after about ten min= utes of this, he flew off, apparently no worse for wear. =C2=A0=C2=A0</div>= </div><div><br></div><div>When I examined the immediate area of action I ob= served hundreds of red ants, highly agitated, roaming around the rocks and = logs and looking for trouble.</div><div><br></div><div>Clearly defending th= e nest from the Raven.=C2=A0 My theory is the bird deliberately stirred them up so he could eat them, at the cost of many bites.</div><div= ><br></div><div>It looked like a painful investment for a small return but = I can't think of anything more probable?</div><div><br></div><div>Ants = must taste some good!</div><div><br></div><div>Jamie Simpson</div></div></t= d></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></table></blockquote></div> --94eb2c034d340829ca05199748e2--
next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects