Bullock’s Oriole Stealing Food From An Unhappy Spider

Stealing food from spiders can be a risky business. Bullock’s Orioles are known to do it but from the reaction of this bird I’d say he’s aware of the potential danger of doing so.

 

bullock's oriole 3195 ron dudley

1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

This male Bullock’s Oriole was foraging for food near one of the campgrounds on Antelope Island four days ago. Here he’s spotted food hanging from a spider web on the other side of the metal post so he hopped around the post…

 

 

bullock's oriole 3197 ron dudley

1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

and helped himself to some of it. At this point I’m pretty sure he was unaware of the spider heading his way.

 

 

bullock's oriole 3198 ron dudley

1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

Then he spotted another delectable bit right in front of his face but still seemed oblivious to the approaching spider.

 

 

bullock's oriole 3199 ron dudley

1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

At this point the spider had stopped moving so maybe when he did see the Arachnid he thought it was just more food hanging on the web.

 

 

bullock's oriole 3200 ron dudley

1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

But when he did spot the spider (with incriminating evidence of his thievery still in his bill) his reaction was nothing short of…

 

 

bullock's oriole 3201 ron dudley

1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

priceless.

His exaggerated avoidance response made me wonder if he’s been bitten before. Or maybe it’s just an instinctive behavior for this species to avoid spiders even though many birds eat them regularly.

But this one didn’t want anything to do with the spider and immediately after this shot was taken the oriole got the hell out of Dodge. But he obviously hadn’t learned his lesson because almost immediately he began robbing food from the web of yet another spider.

Obviously for this bird stealing food from spiders has become a reliable source of food.

Ron

 

 

19 Comments

  1. Fabulous fun and unique series of images, Ron!!!! Sooooo cool!!!!!!!!

  2. These are so amusing I had to look again today.

  3. Poor spidey. Daylight robbery.
    A great series, but poor spidey none the less. Its larder depleted AND I expect there is home maintenance required.

  4. Thanks very much for all the comments everyone! For a variety of reasons I wasn’t able to respond to them individually in a timely fashion but each of them is much appreciated.

  5. nicky haller-wilson

    That is just amazing! I would have thought that he would eat the spider? It looks like big one? And orb spider? I don’t my spiders very well… great pics! I’m going to send to my mother, she loves spiders

  6. The look on his face lol. Wonderful shots Ron!

  7. Great series, I too thought he would eat the spider. We had a imprinted house sparrow who had the freedom of our entire house, she loved spiders. It was fun watching her dive after them. She would not eat the legs and always left a little pile of them for clean up. For 10 years she was great insect control. since her passing we have noticed a lot more spiders crawling about.

  8. I’m surprised it didn’t just eat the spider.. No way could that spider harm a bird. Very interesting the thievery though.

  9. Pretty clever and pretty funny! It never occurred to me that an insect eating bird would rob a web…I love the exaggerated “Who? Me? What web?” reaction of the bird….

  10. A priceless series. I love the exaggerated reaction – he would definitely qualify for a drama queen (king?) award…

  11. Lol…..that would have been my reaction…..well, almost anyway. The last shot would have happened after I “got the hell out Dodge”. Great series…great story!!

  12. Great series, Ron! Does appear the oriole didn’t want to mess with the spider! 🙂 Food chain is always interesting and sometimes the smallest “win” 🙂

  13. What an amazing series!! That right place/right time/right person thing yields some astounding results and I just LOVE the behaviors you catch. Just fascinating and what a gorgeous bird, too! Thievery is a time-honored method of feeding oneself, but you gotta make a clean getaway from the victim of your thievery!

  14. This is one great series Ron… You lucked out again, being in the right place,
    at the right time, and with the right gear, and with the knowledge of how to
    use it. “i love it when a plan comes together.” ;-)))

  15. Once bitten twice shy – is not just for humans. Maybe it should be once bitten twice a careful thief!
    Excellent shots, wonderful behavioral series.

  16. Charlotte Norton

    Sensational behavioral shots Ron! Thanks for sharing!

    Charlotte

  17. Ron:

    The behaviors you catch in your photos are fascinating. Thank you.

    Dick

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