James Jans
07-03-2008, 10:30 AM
I was in Tofino, Vancouver Island a couple of weeks ago. Two Cedar Waxwings caught my attention, as one was squawking and making begging gestures towards the other. My first thought was that it was a juvenile begging, but I have since read that adult females will courtship beg prior to starting a second clutch. I was in an awkward position, leaning over the handrail of a raised deck and peaking around the corner of an ivy-covered trellis. I got off 9 shots in 9 seconds, but most are either blurry/shaky or not well framed. But the 9 shots are clear enough to have me extremely puzzled!
It involves some sort of sleight of hand (beak) involving a berry that looks like it might be a black currant, and a very red raspberry. Here's a runnng time line of what I have:
T - 0: Bird on the left (L) is begging, bird on the right (R) has a currant in its bill
T + 1 sec: L is not begging, the currant has disappeared from R's bill
T + 2 sec: L is begging, but a raspberry (!) can be see in its throat; R has nothing in it's bill
T+ 3 sec: no doubt that it is a raspberry in L's throat; R still has nothing
T + 4 sec: L is begging, but can't see in the mouth; R has a currant in its bill (!)
T + 5 sec: L is begging; R is apparently about to place the currant in L's mouth
T + 6 sec: With the currant, R is leaning further into L's mouth
T + 7 sec: L continues to beg, but R is holding a RASPBERRY (!) in it's bill!!!
T + 8 sec: both bills closed, no evidence of any berries
T + 9 sec: R has fluttered a foot or so away down the tree
My understanding is that waxwings swallow berries whole. But do they have a crop that they can store berries? Are they exchanging berries here? Or is one successfully begging food from the other? Any insight into this one is greatly appreciated! Thanks,
Jim
It involves some sort of sleight of hand (beak) involving a berry that looks like it might be a black currant, and a very red raspberry. Here's a runnng time line of what I have:
T - 0: Bird on the left (L) is begging, bird on the right (R) has a currant in its bill
T + 1 sec: L is not begging, the currant has disappeared from R's bill
T + 2 sec: L is begging, but a raspberry (!) can be see in its throat; R has nothing in it's bill
T+ 3 sec: no doubt that it is a raspberry in L's throat; R still has nothing
T + 4 sec: L is begging, but can't see in the mouth; R has a currant in its bill (!)
T + 5 sec: L is begging; R is apparently about to place the currant in L's mouth
T + 6 sec: With the currant, R is leaning further into L's mouth
T + 7 sec: L continues to beg, but R is holding a RASPBERRY (!) in it's bill!!!
T + 8 sec: both bills closed, no evidence of any berries
T + 9 sec: R has fluttered a foot or so away down the tree
My understanding is that waxwings swallow berries whole. But do they have a crop that they can store berries? Are they exchanging berries here? Or is one successfully begging food from the other? Any insight into this one is greatly appreciated! Thanks,
Jim