When it comes to legs crane flies have a lot to give.
Yesterday morning in the mountains I had buckets of fun with this adventurous but somewhat naïve juvenile Cedar Waxwing. ‘He’ was fearless as he repeatedly flew in close to my pickup while hawking insects and he occasionally landed nearby to consume them.
All photos are presented in the order they were taken.
This fairly large insect was one of his snacks. I believe it’s one of our several species of crane flies (mosquito hawks). He had his back to me while he was gobbling down the insect but for this shot he turned my way slightly so I’ve cropped tightly on it so we can see the crane fly and some of its long legs better.
Those legs play a significant role in this story.
By the time he turned my way again the fly was inside his mouth though he hadn’t swallowed it yet. Here we see one wing and several legs sticking out and somehow one of those legs ended up on top of his head.
A little better look at the situation.
By the time this shot was taken I believe he’d swallowed the body of the fly but those pesky legs had detached and were becoming a problem. He tried to get rid of them by repeatedly swiping his bill on the branch but…
to no avail. Even the leg on top of his head is still there.
So he flew into a dense thicket and once again tried to get rid of those annoying appendages.
A full three minutes after he’d swallowed the fly he landed on another nearby perch and some of the fly legs were still stuck to his head. He didn’t look very happy about it.
So he flew into another thicket and tried to get rid of them again.
But four minutes after that there was still at least one leg being a royal pain in the ass directly behind his eye.
But the next several times I saw him up close all of the fly legs seemed to be gone.
I always enjoy watching very young birds learning their life lessons. I doubt that an adult waxwing would have nearly as much trouble getting rid of those troublesome legs and the next time this youngster has to deal with crane fly legs I suspect he’ll do it more efficiently.
On the other hand I definitely was impressed by this young bird’s hunting skills. I watched as he repeatedly and successfully flew out of the bushes and captured insects he’d spotted flying high above him in typical ‘hawking’ fashion.
He’d already learned some of those essential life lessons well.
Ron
You spin a good visual yarn, Ron. That was most enjoyable. For me, if not for the young waxwing! Spectacular bird photojournalism. Thank you.
Poor birdie! I can totally identify. Even thumbs might not help in this situation. I’m a shedder with long hair. I often will feel an errant hair on my face or in my mouth and try as I might, I cannot seem to grab onto it. So annoying!
Marty, as great as it would be to have wings I’d have to admit that trading my hands for them would just be too steep of a price.
My father told me ‘there ain’t nothing which don’t fight back sometime’. I don’t *think* he had insect legs in mind, but how right he was. I suspect those mulitudinous barbs itch too.
An occasional MS symptom for me is feeling insects (imaginary) crawling over my face. I really felt for this bird and am glad that he/she finally got them off.
Yet another great series. Thanks Ron.
I can only imagine how unpleasant that symptom must be for you, EC. Perhaps terrifying is a better word. Thank you.
In the scale of things it is minor. But nasty. So of course I felt for the waxwing.
Well, I feel bad because I laughed as I scrolled all the way down to the bottom photo—poor little Waxie! But what amazing images, and such an opportunity to see up close what happens in the ordinary, daily activities of a bird’s life. [And I’d suggest that in that 7th shot, he doesn’t just look unhappy about his predicament, he looks downright grumpy!]
I was impressed that he has those gorgeous yellow tips already, but not quite the full face mask. Have only ever seen adults here so enjoyed the close-up views of this young’un. Thanks for the day-brightener!
Don’t feel bad about laughing, Chris. I was chuckling the entire time I was preparing the post.
Wonderful series. I hope the orphaned rehabbed waxwings I released in the same area are doing as well.
Who knows, April. Maybe ‘my’ waxwing was one of yours.
Hard to tell, we don’t band or mark them in anyway. I will hope they were adopted by the flock and have learned to survive to adulthood. Not easy for even the wild raised.
Fun post Ron. Thank you for cheering my up on a morning where I was being a bit onry.
Thanks, Bradley. I understand that ‘ornery’ thing. A technician just left my house after charging me $250 to fix my relatively new gas range. Sure didn’t help my attitude but at least I have an oven that works now.
Despite the long legs
That would not disengage
Our bird had a snack
(and slight hack attack)
But dispatching those limbs
While now a bit grim
Will in time be allayed
As skill come with age.
That nails it pretty well, Lyle.
Poor baby! I’ll bet those legs DO have barbs on them!
I know that with the hawks, prey can sometimes be downright cantankerous about being killed and eaten (go figure). In all seriousness, I’ve wondered a time or several whether the prey can try to escape in the initial part of the process, eating from the inside out until the digestive juices do their job? Just one of those ponderings that can happen while you’re waiting as the hawk finishes its meal 😉
“I’ll bet those legs DO have barbs on them!”
Laura, I just looked it up. They do, hundreds of them. Check this out. Imagine trying to swallow them the “wrong way down”. And that sure explains why their legs could get hung up in a bird’s feathers.
https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/tipula-crane-fly-insect-tipulidae-gm1058907552-283027510
THAT explains them not wanting to “go away”……..
A fun and educational post today, with great photos. Thanks very much!
Thank you, Joanne.
Poor guy/gal, those Crane Fly legs became a menace, although at the images expense I had to chuckle at how any immature animal learns by experience!
Many thanks, stay safe!
I can’t imagine trying to swallow those legs. I’d get rid of them too.
Most enjoyable! What a predicament to be in…really like the photo with his mouth wide open. I like the cropped photos…they really show off the feathers nicely. He doesn’t have that smooth porcelain-like look yet but is quite handsome without it. It looks like the ‘yellow dipped tail’ feathers start out early in life…when do the wing tips develop?
“when do the wing tips develop?”
Kathy, I presume you’re referring to the waxy red tips on some of their wing feathers. In a few birds they appear toward the end of their first year but most don’t get them until they get their adult plumage.
Fun and funny tho, I’m not sure, to the bird! 😉 Reminds me of the Cheat Grass spears that get in the dog’s hair tho they are REALLY not amusing nor easy to get rid of….. 🙁 It’s “starting” to look like a waxwing with the bright yellow tip of the tail and black going from beak to eye……. 🙂
“Reminds me of the Cheat Grass spears”
Me too, Judy. In fact I wondered if those legs have tiny barbs on them, like grasshopper legs and some grass blades.
Excellent photography and a fun series to read. He needed a mate to remove those annoying legs for him. He may be lacking in insect leg removal skills, but he more than makes up for that with his hunting skills. Great series.
Thank you, Everett.