Odd Bird Behavior

This is the first time I have witnessed this behavior in my over 2 years of bird watching and hope someone can explain what was going on. I have a few theories but would like some other opinions. I did search for an answer and came up empty handed.

I was trying to get a few shots of the birds through the window yesterday (sorry about the poor quality) and noticed a female Red-winged Blackbird. Within seconds a female Cowbird landed next to her. The Blackbird immediately started to peck the Cowbird...

The Cowbird seemed to freeze and did not move as this was happening.

Another Cowbird showed up and the same pecking continued.

The pecking and frozen posture of the Cowbirds continued for 2 minutes! I thought they had died but a third Cowbird showed up and they all eventually flew off (thank goodness)!

Thanks for your help...it is driving me nuts!!

edited for grammar!

This message was edited Jan 9, 2010 10:22 AM

Looks like the female Red-winged Blackbird is harmlessly cleaning/preening the Cowbird's heads, the way the birds are lowering their heads anyways. All birds love to be scratched on the head where they cant reach. I don't know if they (Cowbirds) are adult females or juveniles but Cowbirds do lay egg's in other bird's nest, but I think its a little late for juveniles to be hanging around adults yet. Hope this helps, hopefully someone else will add to this.

I agree with Burd. Coincidentally, yesterday morning while on our walk, my DH and I noticed a blackbird doing this same thing to a smaller blackbird on top of a power pole. We've never seen anything like this and I didn't have my camera with me but it sure looked like one was preening the other. I don't even recall seeing any of my adult birds doing this in the Spring either. I sure am glad you were able to capture this strange occurrence at such a late date.

Thanks Burd and Duc...that makes sense to me. I didn't know that birds would preen another species...you learn something everyday!!
At first I thought the Blackbird was poking out the first Cowbirds eyes...good grief I went into panic mode. I'm glad to know that it is normal behavior! The frozen posture was really something to see.

Thanks for your help!

BTW...DH thought the Blackbird was picking off feather mites and I wondered if the Blackbird had raised the Cowbirds and the parents had failed to reclaim them.

They might be from her nest too. Good observation Rose!

My thought too . .

Resin

Two male pileateds flew into my almost urban Asheville, NC backyard and spent about twenty minutes chasing one another around the large trunks of two immense silver maples. Of course, I had no idea where the camera was, and it happened about the middle of December. At first I thought that it might have been a married pair shopping for a new home but, no, it was two males. I have other property on the east side of town, walking minutes from the Mountain to Sea trail, and have had the pleasure of much contact with these favorite birds, from right outside of the windows to walking on the trails, and it always seems to be one male or a "married" pair going from tree to tree in concert.
They are uncommon on this older, north side of town, but at least one screaming pair graces us with a few moments during the spring and fall. Has anyone else seen this behavior during the winter?

Thanks for your input everyone...I think the mystery is solved!

Squinch...Nice that you get to see the Pileated...I love those birds!

Squinch, I have never seen that behavior here during winter with the pileateds but then we don't see them alot during winter. My guess would be it was just a territory thing like most other birds. The nuthatches, and small woodpeckers chase each other all the time off the trees and feeders.