Today I watched a pair of black-necked stilts harrassing a mallard.  The
stilts took turns fluttering up in the air and landing on the back of the
duck.  The duck was clearly upset, and after about the third try, the duck
flew off, quacking loudly.  I've never seen such behavior before; I think
of stilts as rather shy birds.  I suppose they may have had a nest or been
planning one, but even so....   Anyone else seen similarly aggressive
stilts?

 This took place at Bombay Hook;sorry that's extralimital.  But the
question is about behavior, not location.

Bryan MacKay
Catonsville

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