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Goldeneye tail spread? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Julie50
- Start date
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
No idea why they do it, but I've seen it fairly frequently :t:
Andrea Collins
Well-known member
As Nutcracker says it's fairly common behaviour. Unfortunately, none of the literature I have mentions it specifically.
I'm just guessing here but maybe it is related to diving and underwater swimming. They always seem to dive with their tail feathers spread and they do use their tails for steering underwater. Perhaps fanning the tail feathers makes that more efficient and the tail feathers just remain naturally fanned out when they are back on the surface. The bird in your photo looks like it has been diving.
Here's a couple of photos of a male diving.
I'm just guessing here but maybe it is related to diving and underwater swimming. They always seem to dive with their tail feathers spread and they do use their tails for steering underwater. Perhaps fanning the tail feathers makes that more efficient and the tail feathers just remain naturally fanned out when they are back on the surface. The bird in your photo looks like it has been diving.
Here's a couple of photos of a male diving.
Andrea Collins
Well-known member
Here's another of the Mergini ducks, a Red-breasted Merganser, disappearing beneath the water also with its tail feathers spread as it does so.
Looks like I'm going to have to spend even more time watching diving ducks this winter than I usually do!
Looks like I'm going to have to spend even more time watching diving ducks this winter than I usually do!
Yeah, me too. Interesting thread. . ..
Andrea Collins
Well-known member
Well, after four weeks of watching Goldeneyes closely I can say without absolute certainty that..............I don't know why they spread their tails. Often they do. Sometimes they don't.
It's surprisingly difficult to see what they are doing with their tails for much of the time especially when watching from close to water level. Tails are often spread when diving, but not always. They are also often spread when birds are on the surface, but not always.
So, that's cleared that up............or not. Sorry!
It's surprisingly difficult to see what they are doing with their tails for much of the time especially when watching from close to water level. Tails are often spread when diving, but not always. They are also often spread when birds are on the surface, but not always.
So, that's cleared that up............or not. Sorry!
