Pied Wagtail playing chicken

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spot
Posts: 41339
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:19 pm
Location: Brigstowe

Pied Wagtail playing chicken

Post by spot »

I spent some minutes watching one this morning.

They're 5 or 6 inches long, territorial, they live mostly on insects all year round, it's winter here and fewer insects to be had. They need to eat around 15 insects a minute throughout the day.

This one was either side of a busy road into town, mainly cars doing 30 mph. The bird waited for the right moment, took off from the side of the road and flew across the face of each selected car at radiator level before jumping over the oncoming traffic and landing on the other side of the road. It must have come within a foot of each car.

Back and forth, very little pause. I presume the insects are so focused at that moment on avoiding the car that they don't dodge the bird.

That's one finely honed brain as far as spatial awareness is concerned, I couldn't do it.
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gmc
Posts: 13566
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2004 9:44 am

Pied Wagtail playing chicken

Post by gmc »

so you think you know why iy crossed the road?
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