[MDOsprey] Williamson Clarifies Oland Rd Dickcissel Behavior
Guineabird@aol.com
Tue, 1 Jun 1999 20:21:01 EDT
In response to my curiosity concerning why two Dickcissel males would attempt
copulation, Sheri Williamson sent the following info:
Sheri Williamson
Arizona Southeastern Bird Observatory
otter@PRIMENET.COM
Kinky as it sounds, young males sometimes practice their moves on each other,
particularly if a bird of the opposite sex isn't available; this probably
happens more often where young males resemble adult females, as in
Dickcissels, or where the sexes are alike in all plumages. In birds that form
long-term bonds but have skewed sex ratios in their populations it's even
possible for homosexual pairs to develop (female pairs have been recorded in
some gulls, for example). Naturally, this isn't the kind of thing that gets
mentioned in the average family-oriented bird guide <grin>,
but it's a likely explanation for the behavior you saw. Young males often
don't breed in their first season anyway, but let's hope if they come back
next summer that there are some females with them! (I'm not making a
lifestyle judgment here, it's just that we need more Dickcissels.)