Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 00:52:19 +0100 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Linda Baker Subject: unusual bird behavior; atlas query Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" MDOsprey-- While working our blocks in Dorchester County, Dotty Mumford and I watched an interaction that we both found unusual. A male Red-wing blackbird was vigorously chasing another bird around a small field. Checking the ID of the "chasee" we found it to be a female Brownhheaded cowbird. The chase continued in and out of trees and around this small meadow for a few minutes. The red-wing put an impressive amount of energy into this pursuit. Query: Territory seem a strange word to use when describing the actions of cowbirds and if I recall the definition in the atlas handbook correctly, territorial disputes are defined as between members of the same species. Any suggestions how to code this behavior? Similarly, when a male cowbird sings, is it considered territorial? Linda Baker quiltbird@annapolis.net PS Will post some of the other interesting sightings later. ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================