{"id":39098,"date":"2016-04-27T05:56:18","date_gmt":"2016-04-27T11:56:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=39098"},"modified":"2016-04-27T07:21:11","modified_gmt":"2016-04-27T13:21:11","slug":"long-billed-curlew-courtship-displays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2016\/04\/27\/long-billed-curlew-courtship-displays\/","title":{"rendered":"Long-billed Curlew Courtship Displays"},"content":{"rendered":"

These curlews performed some intense and protracted courtship displays that were fascinating to watch and photograph.<\/p>\n

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A male and female were feeding in the grasses eleven days ago on Antelope Island. They were some distance apart when suddenly the behavior of the male changed dramatically. He raised his wings and ran toward the female whose shadow we see here on the right.<\/p>\n

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The female seemed indifferent to his approach. She obviously knew he was coming but she turned her back and slowly walked away.<\/p>\n

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As he got closer she displayed to him with her tail. I don’t know if that was a sign of encouragement, or warning or something else altogether.<\/p>\n

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Suddenly she turned and attacked him and they duked it out for a few moments.<\/p>\n

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They separated briefly and the male displayed and called\u00a0as she scolded him.<\/p>\n

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When the male pursued her again another scuffle broke out.<\/p>\n

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I wish I knew what this display from the female meant but after this there was no more fighting.<\/p>\n

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The two curlews walked some distance with the male following the female and then she stopped and assumed this warm and fuzzy posture which made me wonder if her mood had changed. Note the slightly longer bill and larger size of the female.<\/p>\n

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Then the male began to stroke her back with the tip of his long bill.<\/p>\n

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For a few moments the female played hard to get and walked slowly away from him as he continued to stroke her back as he followed.<\/p>\n

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But then she stopped and allowed him to stroke her long neck.<\/p>\n

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He stroked her neck on both sides and from top to bottom.<\/p>\n

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This “bill stroking” behavior lasted for about three minutes.<\/p>\n

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In a particularly tender moment\u00a0he laid his head on her upper back.<\/p>\n

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At one point he grabbed some of her neck feathers with the tip of his bill and pulled her head and neck backward.<\/p>\n

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Suddenly he attempted to mount her…<\/p>\n

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but she started walking forward again…<\/p>\n

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which gave him an unstable landing platform…<\/p>\n

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so he gave up,\u00a0landed behind her and held his\u00a0wings up in apparent frustration.<\/p>\n

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And then\u00a0he simply flew away.<\/p>\n

So much for the best laid plans of mice and men. And male Long-billed Curlews…<\/p>\n

Ron<\/p>\n

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Notes:<\/em><\/p>\n