[NatureNS] Question: Starling Behaviour

DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed;
References: <CAD2SNSAKD3FFK7bSCY1Cxf3uoMk7Kzv8dXyAhrOPPeB31M1prA@mail.gmail.com>
From: Shouty McShoutsalot <desolatechair@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 20 May 2020 07:21:10 -0300
To: naturens <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects

Index of Subjects
--000000000000152b8f05a611c27b
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

Re mobbing calls regrettably it is still a common practice among birders.
With cell phones and birding apps its easy to produce and playback them at
will.

On Tue., May 19, 2020, 21:38 John Kearney, <j.f.kearney@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Burkhard,
> Many bird species have mobbing calls. You may have seen the Black-capped
> Chickadee doing this many times. Perhaps you thought it was curious about
> you but more likely, it was letting other birds know of your presence. One
> of the fascinating things about mobbing calls is that some species
> understand the unique mobbing calls of another species as a mobbing call
> and will join in multi-species harassment of a predator. Mobbing works, it
> is believed, not so much because the predator is frightened, but because it
> has been outed. It has lost the advantage of a surprise attack. In the
> past, birders would play recordings of mobbing calls to attract a wide
> variety of species, and with the hopes flushing out a rare bird. Birders
> have abandoned this practice since it causes unnecessary stress to the
> birds and distracts them from more important tasks such as feeding young or
> building up fat reserves for their migration.
> John
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca On Behalf Of Burkhard Plache
> Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2020 18:59
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: [NatureNS] Question: Starling Behaviour
>
> Hello fellow naturalists:
>
> We have a pair of starlings is raising its brood in a former hairy
> woodpecker cavity in our front yard. Today, there were some 10-12 starlings
> scattered in the nearby branches. A few minutes later, a big ruckus broke
> out, with a squirrel departing the tree at high speed pursued by some 5-6
> of the starlings.
>
> My question is: Are starlings known to band together in times of trouble?
> If so, they must have some means of calling for help in case of a threat.
>
> Curious,
> Burkhard
>
>

--000000000000152b8f05a611c27b
Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<div dir=3D"auto">Re mobbing calls regrettably it is still a common practic=
e among birders.=C2=A0 With cell phones and birding apps its easy to produc=
e and playback them at will.</div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=
=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Tue., May 19, 2020, 21:38 John Kearney, &l=
t;j.f.kearney@gmail.com&gt; wr=
ote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;=
border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi Burkhard,<br>
Many bird species have mobbing calls. You may have seen the Black-capped Ch=
ickadee doing this many times. Perhaps you thought it was curious about you=
 but more likely, it was letting other birds know of your presence. One of =
the fascinating things about mobbing calls is that some species understand =
the unique mobbing calls of another species as a mobbing call and will join=
 in multi-species harassment of a predator. Mobbing works, it is believed, =
not so much because the predator is frightened, but because it has been out=
ed. It has lost the advantage of a surprise attack. In the past, birders wo=
uld play recordings of mobbing calls to attract a wide variety of species, =
and with the hopes flushing out a rare bird. Birders have abandoned this pr=
actice since it causes unnecessary stress to the birds and distracts them f=
rom more important tasks such as feeding young or building up fat reserves =
for their migration. <br>
John<br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: <a href=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca" target=3D"_blank" re=
l=3D"noreferrer">naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca</a> On Behalf Of Burkhard Pl=
ache<br>
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2020 18:59<br>
To: <a href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"nor=
eferrer">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a><br>
Subject: [NatureNS] Question: Starling Behaviour<br>
<br>
Hello fellow naturalists:<br>
<br>
We have a pair of starlings is raising its brood in a former hairy woodpeck=
er cavity in our front yard. Today, there were some 10-12 starlings scatter=
ed in the nearby branches. A few minutes later, a big ruckus broke out, wit=
h a squirrel departing the tree at high speed pursued by some 5-6 of the st=
arlings.<br>
<br>
My question is: Are starlings known to band together in times of trouble?<b=
r>
If so, they must have some means of calling for help in case of a threat.<b=
r>
<br>
Curious,<br>
Burkhard<br>
<br>
</blockquote></div>

--000000000000152b8f05a611c27b--

next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects