Quick update: It seems like swallow "feather play" has been recorded in Barn Swallows but documented much more heavily in Tree Swallows. With a little more research, I found a first-hand report (on The Birding Project's blog) of very similar behavior to Trees in the closely related Violet-green out west (e.g., chasing, mates exchanging a feather in midair.) But it seems to me that these behaviors can be more readily explained as competition and pair-bonding than what I witnessed. The Barn Swallow was dropping and catching the feather solo for several minutes, and though nearby swallows swooped in occasionally to check it out as it floated, not one of them touched it. It seemed to me like pure play (or agility practice, I guess).
Now I'm interested in whether there are similar reports in other Hirundo swallows in Africa, Asia, etc. Thanks to all one more time for making this conversation so fascinating and informative. --Joe -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
