Bird Info

just trying to get some info. Was at a friends yesterday, and a hawk type bird, was laying in the sun with its wings spread. I had never seen that before, and they said it did it regularly. Is that a normal action? Also, they said they saw a nest, but hadn't seen any babies, but maybe couldn't look inside. Yesterday for the first time, there was a 3rd bird with the 2 that have been around. It was black, while the others were grayish and tan I believe. Not that wide a wingspan, so not sure what it was. My friend thought it was a different species, but I think it was just an immature one. Any ideas on these things?

Hi houndmanv, Here is some info on the wing spreading position.

http://www.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/Spread-Wing_Postures.html

houndmanv, I was lucky enough to get a photo of a Buff-banded Rail with its wings spread. It came out of the undergrowth in a brief patch of sunlight and spread its wings and held them spread, just across a little creek from where I was sitting
Ken

Two possible reasons for the spread wings:

1. Mantling its prey to hide it from potential competitors ('thieves').

2. Sunbathing.

The latter likely applies to Kennedy's pic, while the former is more likely with your hawk.

Resin

Thanks for the replies. I was familiar with diving birds having to dry their feathers, but never saw others sunbathe. Have seen birds cover their prey also, but only on TV.

Glad I came looking for info, and found some interesting sites with some beaut pics. Don't get out as much as I used to, so the wildlife cams are fun, and I can see more and more often than being out and about sometimes, though seeing them in person can be better. I was just thinking, I hadn't seen a rat on the various cams, and don't I see one? Not favs, but part of nature. Interesting how ratlooking possums are, but always enjoy seeing them.

Good to find people who sound like they know what they are talking about. It's kind of frustrating talking to loonies (no offense to Loons). Had a guy tell me today that Can. geese got trapped in a lake that was part frozen and then Fast Froze. I asked if Birds Eye owned the lake.))

This message was edited Jul 17, 2011 12:03 AM

I have once seen a bird of prey with its wings spread out in the sun and it was so flattened against an earth slope, that I am sure it was not mantling its prey, but deliberately exposing its wings to the sun. This one was a Nankeen Kestrel, here in Australia. It held the position for a long time, but sadly I didn't have a camera with me at the time,

Ken