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Question for OT Ornithologist. Black birds and White birds on the LSU lakes.
Posted on 10/17/17 at 8:48 am
Posted on 10/17/17 at 8:48 am
While jogging around the smaller of the two lakes, I often notice hundreds of birds perched on certain trees in the lakes. Some of them are black, some of them are white
The weird thing, is that they segregate themselves on the trees with the top half of the tree filled with black birds and the bottom half of the tree filled with white birds.
Anybody know why they do this? And which part of the tree is the most desireble for birds?
The weird thing, is that they segregate themselves on the trees with the top half of the tree filled with black birds and the bottom half of the tree filled with white birds.
Anybody know why they do this? And which part of the tree is the most desireble for birds?
This post was edited on 10/17/17 at 8:56 am
Posted on 10/17/17 at 8:50 am to LakeViewLSU
How many birds were kneeling for that inequality?
Posted on 10/17/17 at 8:51 am to LakeViewLSU
quote:
black birds and white birds
quote:
segregate
*exits thread*
Posted on 10/17/17 at 8:52 am to celltech1981
Its not bait. This is something i see every morning and always wondered why. Was hoping there are some on here that might be able to give some insight.
This post was edited on 10/17/17 at 8:58 am
Posted on 10/17/17 at 8:54 am to LakeViewLSU
quote:
Its not bait. This is something i see every morning and always wondered why. Was hoping to get some input.
Maybe they are different kinds of birds. Birds of a feather flock together.
Posted on 10/17/17 at 8:54 am to LakeViewLSU
quote:
Some of them are black, some of them are white
The weird thing, is that they segregate themselves
This aggression will not stand, man.
Posted on 10/17/17 at 8:55 am to LakeViewLSU
Maybe a little more descriptive than black and white might help. Birds can utilize different niches within a canopy.
Posted on 10/17/17 at 8:55 am to LakeViewLSU
The black birds are on top?
Looks like whitey is in its proper place
Looks like whitey is in its proper place
Posted on 10/17/17 at 8:56 am to nes2010
Its hard to tell, they look similiar in size. I am usually out there at dawn or before.
Posted on 10/17/17 at 8:57 am to LakeViewLSU
White birds be racist..
Posted on 10/17/17 at 8:57 am to LakeViewLSU
The white birds are water birds so they stay closer to the water?
Posted on 10/17/17 at 9:02 am to LakeViewLSU
quote:
Its hard to tell, they look similiar in size. I am usually out there at dawn or before.
I'd imagine the black birds are cormorants and the white birds are various egrets.
Roosting with like birds more than likely. If you were a black bird sleeping in a group for "protection" from predators, would you want to sleep next to the bright white bird?
Edit to add:
Now, as to why the cormorants (assuming that's what they are and we aren't talking about darker egrets (herons) here) have the top while the egrets are below them, or which stratus is better, I'm unsure. Sleeping in trees over water is usually predator avoidance of mammalian predators.
Perhaps one group gets the prime spot because they are more aggressive than the other. Maybe the top of the tree is more exposed to nocturnal avian predators (Great-horned Owl, maybe?) and the lower/interior branches are the prime spots. You also have to take into account that cormorants are clumsy birds when on their feet. It could be that they're best bet of roosting is just landing at the top, whereas an egret can move around more in the interior.
Also, cormorants have to stretch out their wings in order to dry them because they lack the oil gland that protects feathers (preening feathers as ducks do), which is why you see them sunning themselves. So, in this scenario, I have a feeling that the cormorants are to the trees first in the afternoon, at the top, catching the last bit of sun to dry their feathers before nightfall.
This post was edited on 10/17/17 at 9:40 am
Posted on 10/17/17 at 9:05 am to LakeViewLSU
We've got so much work left to do, y'all
Posted on 10/17/17 at 9:06 am to atxfan
quote:black bird cant swim so they stay further away from water?
The white birds are water birds so they stay closer to the water?
Posted on 10/17/17 at 9:08 am to LakeViewLSU
The bottom part of the tree is the regular wood and the top part is what arborists refer to as "goodwood"
In regards to the birds, it's pretty much all black once you cross goodwood
In regards to the birds, it's pretty much all black once you cross goodwood
This post was edited on 10/17/17 at 9:09 am
Posted on 10/17/17 at 9:12 am to LakeViewLSU
Predator looking up into the light will see the white and it will blend in to the light providing camouflage. A predator looking down from above will see the black which will blend in with the ground or water below providing camouflage. This is similar to how fish have white bellies and dark backs.
Seems to be a mutually beneficial roosting arrangement.
Seems to be a mutually beneficial roosting arrangement.
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