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Posted by Megan on 11:06:34 01/23/08
In Reply to: Interesting thrush behavior posted by Robin Diaz
I have seen Hermit Thrushes feed in a similar manner (although not in a puddle!). Hermit Thrushes winter in a nature preserve near my parent's home in Kentucky. Last winter I observed at least one running, patting the leaf litter several times with one foot, and then picking up what I believed to be insects or grubs. Then the thrush would charge ahead, and take another stab at it by beating the leaf litter with the other foot. It seemed to be working, and I could only imagine that the bird was feeling for vibrations with its feet or stirring up the near frozen insects. If I recall right, it did not always flip the leaf litter after each foot tapping, seeming to somehow know whether there was a meal waiting under the leaf or not.
Thanks for posting this interesting behavior!
The ripples in the water show how much the bird was stirring up the puddle.
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