Andy, I have seen the same behavior in Carolina Wrens, when I lived in Houson and was visiting Brazos Bend State Park.  The two wrens were not only grappling but stabbing at each other with their beaks and beating on each other with their wings, on the ground!  They only separated and flew off when I came close.

 

Kathy Reiser

Washington DC
 
> Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:44:31 -0400
> From: 
> Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Pine Warbler behavior question
> To: 
> 
> Andy, I remember seeing exactly the same behavior by two red-headed 
> WP's
> many years ago. The tumbled down through pine branches, landed at 
> my feet and
> continued grappling on the ground for some time.
> 
> A few weeks ago there were two house sparrows on a sidewalk in a 
> shopping mall
> here in Severna park, and yesterday two mocking birds in my driveway.
> 
> Some birds establish territory by singing --cf the hooded warblers 
> out in the swamp.
> Some are a bit more direct & physical.
> 
> One could be uncouth and blame it on sex, or more discrete and say 
> "tis Nature's Way."
> Your choice.
> 
> Leo Weigant
> 
> On Mar 18, 2009, at 10:38 PM, Andy Martin wrote:
> 
> > I have been checking an evergreen stand (adjacent to hunter's 
> > parking area off Montevideo Rd) within Seneca Crk SP since late 
> > last week for arrival of a Pine Warbler. Today, as soon as I got 
> > out of car, heard familiar trill and got binos on nice male. A 
> > couple moments later, the bird I was watching (not looking through 
> > binos at this point) started to tangle with another bird and they 
> > locked together and spiraled downward about 20 feet before breaking 
> > apart. Looked exactly like a miniature version of 2 Bald Eagles 
> > doing same thing on some nature show.
> >
> > I never got to see the other bird in the binos. Was this more 
> > likely two males fighting for territory or male/female courtship 
> > behavior? Thanks for help.
> >
> > Andy Martin
> > Gaithersburg
> > 

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