Why not a too early/late, confused sex display by a female?
On Nov 4, 2007, at 4:21 PM, Spahr MD, John wrote:
This morning I witnessed wing-flicking begging behavior in a titmouse. This presumed fledgling was traveling with a group of 4 or 5 titmice scurrying about the trees and utility wires across from my house in Staunton. I did not have binoculars to check out plumage details; it was full size. As another titmouse, presumably an adult, approached the wing flicking of this bird became more intense and rapid and the crest was laid back. I did not see any actual feeding take place -- a bus drove by and the flock retreated into the trees. From my limited reading I learned that this species can have two broods per season. However, even with two broods these activities usually conclude by mid August. Tufted titmice have a 2 week incubation period and the young leave the nest in 18-21 days. This suggests that this youngster was hatched in early to mid October, which seems very, very late to me. Is this a possible 3rd brood or aberrant behavior by an older juvenile?
John Spahr
Staunton
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird
Va-bird is a service of the Virginia Society of Ornithology. http:// www.virginiabirds.net/
