Weird bird behaviour - eating from another bird's back-end...?

gbmphoto

gbmphoto

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Graham
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Saw these two outside my window when I got home and I'm really interested to know what they are up to?

First the one bird displayed it's backside to the other one.


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Then the other one went in for a munch while the bird in front shook its wings...


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#4

This went on for about 30 seconds until they got spooked and flew off. Sorry about the rubbish images, but I wasn't expecting this!
 
gbmphoto said:
Saw these two outside my window when I got home and I'm really interested to know what they are up to?

This went on for about 30 seconds until they got spooked and flew off. Sorry about the rubbish images, but I wasn't expecting this!
Click to expand...

It's part of the Dunnock's mating ritual, I'll find you a link in a mo if I can

Ok found one http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=1047

Text below the 2nd picture
 
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As Ingrid said, its a part of their mating ritual. The male pecks at the females cloaca until she ejects the sperm from a previous mating, then he will mate with her ensuring that his genes are passed on and not another males genes.
If other breeds of bird do this I don't know, but its common with Dunnocks.

Think I saw a picture of a human couple doing this, or at least it looked like that's what they were doing :eek:
 
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