Les Underhill
Well-known member
After a bit of a gap in publication due to an accident involving the editor, there is a string of new papers in the ejournal Ornithological Observations (OO), http://oo.adu.org.za/'.
The most important is by Joël Roerig, and it is a review of "shadow boxing" in birds --- the term "shadow boxing" has been used since 1916 to describe birds attacking, pecking, and flying at their reflections in windows and mirrors. This is the most recently published paper in volume 4 of OO, and you can get to it (and the six or so other very new papers) quickly by going to http://oo.adu.org.za/content.php?vol=4 and then clicking on the link to the pdfs.
It seems that this is the first time this fascinating behavioural topic of shadow boxing has ever been comprehensively reviewed, anywhere in the world.
Here is the abstract:
Avian shadow boxing can be described as birds attacking, fighting, calling, pecking, displaying or flying at their reflections in mirrors or windows in an attempt to defend their territory against a perceived intruder. For the first time, this study summarizes the literature on this topic; it lists 78 species recorded shadow boxing worldwide (Appendix A) and provides an extensive list of relevant references. It also presents new data from observations and an online survey in Southern Africa. Part 1 describes birds’ various reactions to reflective surfaces; it explains avian shadow boxing and provides a historic overview of accounts in America, Europe and Australia; it then discusses shadow boxing in relation to territoriality, harm to birds, damage to property, gregarious species, dominance rank and female birds. Part 2 reviews the literature on avian shadow boxing in Southern Africa; a detailed account of a male and female Collared Sunbird Hedydipna collaris interacting with their reflection in South Africa is also given. Part 3 presents and discusses the results of an online survey conducted in October 2012, yielding 190 new records of 74 Southern African bird species shadow boxing (Appendix B) of which 65 were previously unrecorded. Links to illustrative YouTube videos are included at relevant points in the discussion. In conclusion this study discusses the benefit of further research.
The photo (Duncan Butchart), from the paper, shows a Bennett's Woodpecker attacking its reflection in a car windscreen in the Kruger National Park, South Africa.
The most important is by Joël Roerig, and it is a review of "shadow boxing" in birds --- the term "shadow boxing" has been used since 1916 to describe birds attacking, pecking, and flying at their reflections in windows and mirrors. This is the most recently published paper in volume 4 of OO, and you can get to it (and the six or so other very new papers) quickly by going to http://oo.adu.org.za/content.php?vol=4 and then clicking on the link to the pdfs.
It seems that this is the first time this fascinating behavioural topic of shadow boxing has ever been comprehensively reviewed, anywhere in the world.
Here is the abstract:
Avian shadow boxing can be described as birds attacking, fighting, calling, pecking, displaying or flying at their reflections in mirrors or windows in an attempt to defend their territory against a perceived intruder. For the first time, this study summarizes the literature on this topic; it lists 78 species recorded shadow boxing worldwide (Appendix A) and provides an extensive list of relevant references. It also presents new data from observations and an online survey in Southern Africa. Part 1 describes birds’ various reactions to reflective surfaces; it explains avian shadow boxing and provides a historic overview of accounts in America, Europe and Australia; it then discusses shadow boxing in relation to territoriality, harm to birds, damage to property, gregarious species, dominance rank and female birds. Part 2 reviews the literature on avian shadow boxing in Southern Africa; a detailed account of a male and female Collared Sunbird Hedydipna collaris interacting with their reflection in South Africa is also given. Part 3 presents and discusses the results of an online survey conducted in October 2012, yielding 190 new records of 74 Southern African bird species shadow boxing (Appendix B) of which 65 were previously unrecorded. Links to illustrative YouTube videos are included at relevant points in the discussion. In conclusion this study discusses the benefit of further research.
The photo (Duncan Butchart), from the paper, shows a Bennett's Woodpecker attacking its reflection in a car windscreen in the Kruger National Park, South Africa.
