SE Colorado Birding

Birding and discussion: A conservation-oriented birding blog that emphasizes low-impact birding and sustainable birding practices together with the enjoyment of birds. Southeast Colorado offers a diversity of habitats which provide premiere birding opportunities. Save Sabal Palm

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Painted Redstart fanning its tail feathers


Painted Redstarts have a habit of fanning their tail feathers on a fairly frequent basis. I got these photos of this bird doing so, taken from almost directly beneath the bird. The photo clearly shows the 3 white outer tail feathers that Painted Redstarts have (actually the two most outer feathers are white while the innermost of these outer feathers is partially white)

Birds of North America online has an interesting note on the tail-spreading behavior--"The behavior may be connected to this redstart’s method of feeding—startling prey into movement as it gleans, hover gleans, or hawks insects on the ground, on tree trunks, or among branches and twigs.".

I watched this bird a number of shorter periods that likely added up to over a half hour of viewing. It foraged whenever I watched it and seemed pretty successful at catching insects. It also called actively for stretches of time, then would fall silent for a period.
SeEtta

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