2B - JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Birds have much to learn in so little time D
uring the past several days I’ve ten in mixed communities. Locally, been watching a handful of ba- large roosts of crows and separately of bies grow up magpie. ravens are winter features. Baby magpie chicks are pretty easy Some bird species sleep soundly. to spot. They resemble their parents Some sleep in: Birds that soar in purbut are smaller, have noticeably short suit of food, such as hawks, eagles tails, and when near an adult will in- and vultures, need rising air currents, dulge in characteristic wing flutter which increase as the day warms. And begging accompanied by open beaks birds take naps. Birds will sit or stand and vocal entreaties for food. or float with eyes closed and be enMagpie eggs are incubated by the tirely still. At times, bird naps seem female for about 18 days, beginning to take place without regard for predwith the first egg. Nestling magpies ators. You’ve probably noticed an acare altricial and helpless. Young are tive bird abruptly become still, taking cared for by both parents in the nest a quick few moments of rest, napping. for up to 28 days. After that, the young Not quite fully awake nor fully asleep. leave the nest, but not immediately Happens to the best, and the its vicinity. worst, of us. Once fledged, the young magpies • explore their surroundings. The iniField notes: Suddenly, summer tial results may seem comical to us: solstice. crash landings, balancing acts, relucIt’s hard to decide whether to celtance at being left alone ebrate summer solstice, or or out of sight of a parent. to regret the quickly dwinHowever, they’re pretty dling daylight hours it sigquick learners. They must nals. Guess it qualifies as be. It is a dangerous world a bittersweet moment in out there. the celestial pirouettes of “My” magpie clutch is the planets. growing up. Oh, if they can Birds and mammals cadge a morsel from a parwill mark the day, or the ent they will, but they’re following day. Wild things far more capable of flight need to “know” such matand of landing in trees or ters and to respond to Bert Raynes on the ground, and their them. tails are getting long. They Lots of birds, I’m told, have lots to learn yet, but they’re go- are in full song, their nesting still ing into their teen days. in progress. An Illinois birder, Matt This is normally about the only time Fraker, has been here listening to of the year a vehicle driver will notice a songs from dusky and Hammond’s hood-killed magpie. Probably a young flycatchers, MacGillvray’s warblers bird, slow to flee or unable to coordi- and a host of songbirds in our forests nate and escape. Give ’em a brake. and riparian habitats. Matt found • two least flycatchers, not often found 236123 Another bird behavior that in- in the Hole. On June 16, he spotted trigued me for years is their sleep: two bobolinks near Flat Creek on the where, how sound, preference. National Elk Refuge just north of As you will know, sleep habits vary Jackson. lease proof and call Karen at 739-9541 or return via Fax at 733-2138. Thanks! PDF PROOF? in birds. The most common position At its monthly meeting on June songbirds adopt is with their head 10, members and friends of the Jackturned and resting on their back with son Hole Bird Club were rewarded their bills tucked under the feathers for being in a bit of wind and showof their shoulders. Second is with the ers with good looks at Wilson’s snipe, back of the head retracted, bill for- common yellow-throat warbler, through pages just like ward, head resting on the shoulders. ring-neck ducks and cinnamon teal, reading the print edition Land birds, whether on a branch or among other species. on the ground, normally squat down Scenic raft guide Scott Edwards use page arrows, contents over their feet. Water birds may also, spied a wolverine Saturday on the but they sleep standing on one foot stretch between Deadman’s Bar and or thumbnail navigation with the other tucked up. Most sleep- Moose and pointed it out to an entire ing birds fluff up their feathers to con- raft-load of visitors. serve bodily heat. From a limited viewpoint, this seaWoodpeckers and brown creepers son has been scarce in bringing Westsleep perched vertically on trees. Cav- ern tanagers, Bullock’s orioles, eveity-nesting birds are likely to sleep in ning grosbeaks and all hummingbirds their trees. Locations in which birds to and through Jackson Hole. What do Stay connected to can feel more secure from predators you say? Contact NatureMappingJH. naturally are preferred by most bird org or tell me. local issues, events and species. © Bert Raynes 2012 Some highly aerial birds — swifts, –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– people shaping our perhaps a few sea birds — sleep on Bert Raynes writes weekly on whatever the wing. Some sleep in large roosts, suits his fancy with a dash of news on community, for just sometimes of a single species but of- nature and its many ways.
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