Contributor
Date
Location
- Age and sex
- Adult Male - X
Media notes
sketch from memory of displaying male on court in Breast Display
Observation details
spent another morning at the helipad court; he arrived at 6:10 am or so, given soft whistled notes, then a Andy passed by, took off, returning 5-10 minutes later. Before he did, a female plumaged bird came in, giving 'squeaky agitated' call and flitted down onto the male's display pole and gave a couple of breast displays, sang once, then gave a full cape display (this was not nearly as impressive as the full male's display!). He would stay only 10-15 seconds, take off to the perimeter and return to the post while doing these displays. When he left, the adult male came back and fairly quickly got onto his pole and immediately started performing breast displays. He could hear the camera shutter and was behaving timidly towards it- cautious almost. He then gave a Cape Display, then took off briefly to the perimeter to sing and respond to another singing male within earshot. Ten to 15 minutes later he returned to the pole and was quickly interested by what turned out to be three female plumaged bird on his court. He gave Breast Displays until the cows came home, but some he would hold for 3-4 minutes at a time, remaining motionless the while time looking up at the spectators. Finally at least two came within one meter of his pole and when one lit upon the pole above hime, he gave the Cape Display. This included his tail streamers being shaken up and down in a 5-10 cm range of vertical movement. Apparently Coates doesn't mention this behaviour as part of the Cape Display. Soon after, chaos broke out and the male joins in a chase around the court which I could see most of; perhaps the one female-type was an immature male who got too close. No copulations were ever attempted. the act occurred once more, a female getting on the same pole but never went pas the Cape Display. After about 30 minutes of observation everyone left and the male returned to sing and sit in a pseudo-Breast Display pose for five or so minutes new rthe edges his court; about 1.5 m off the ground. when he left I did as well at about 8:20 am.
Technical information
- Original file size
- 1.12 MB