Birds flying in upside down position (1 Viewer)

[Mark B Bartosik]

I just updated my collection of birds on the wing in upside down position during hunting or flock maneuvers. Not too many for so many years of trying - 9 species (raptors during aggressive encounters and courtship are not included – easier to get):

http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/154207440/original

Wonder if others might share their observations

Cheers,

Mark

 

[Gretchen]

Interesting collection, sorry I can't help! I'm quite surprised at the group of plovers flying sideways or upside down. Do you think that related to the wind?

 

[Nutcracker]

Interesting collection, sorry I can't help! I'm quite surprised at the group of plovers flying sideways or upside down. Do you think that related to the wind?

I'd guess it happens all the time when wader flocks are carrying out aerial manoeuvres wheeling and circling around, but it just takes a very expensive camera to catch the action. Mine certainly can't!

 

[hinnark]

I've seen Common Raven doing this in play or perhaps in order to impress the partner.

 

[Mark B Bartosik]

Interesting collection, sorry I can't help! I'm quite surprised at the group of plovers flying sideways or upside down. Do you think that related to the wind?

Thanks everyone for comments.

It is not related to wind but either this is a part of flock air maneuvers (fast turn or fast slowing down; or both at the same time) or during hunting and aggressive encounters. Note that head is usually pointing toward direction of flight (with only neck twisted) in ‘normal’ position, or toward prey, or challenger (so in some cases can be upside down as well). In all cases birds are trying to keep the focus and hold the head in one position by only twisting the neck.

BTW In fast moving flock birds often have to avoid collisions during turns and believe me that (collisions) can happen - see here:
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/149582203

They are statements from experts that birds cannot fly in sustained powered flight.
http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/1999-08/935334693.Zo.r.html
Unfortunately this website does not allow to post comments …

Not true as for example hummingbirds are well known for doing that and yes, ravens are well known for flying long distance in upside down position (there is published article in Nature about this behavior).

Here are my examples showing Black Skimmer maintaining (at least for short time, but not only during very fast maneuver) inverted position during fight.
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/152633170

Of course many raptors can maintain inverted position during fights as well:
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142784852
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142784851

http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142839020
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142839021
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/142839022

So, I am always very careful when checking information posted on the internet …

Cheers,

Mark

 

[Mark B Bartosik]

but it just takes a very expensive camera to catch the action.

There is no pleasure without pain …

 

[Mark B Bartosik]

I again updated my collection of birds flying upside-down during foraging flights and flock maneuvers. I added three new birds to the collection that now is showing 12 species in composite photo.
List of bird species I photographed so far:

Least Tern
Forster’s Tern
Black Tern
Gull-billed Tern
Royal Tern
Caspian Tern
Black Skimmer
Laughing Gull
Semipalmated Sandpiper
American Avocet
Northern Pintail
Osprey (during hunting; raptors often fly upside-down during courtship or aggressive encounters)

Also this time, just to illustrate well known raptors’ behaviors, I added to the composite a couple examples of Osprey in upside-down position during aerial fights and during spinning fall when two Ospreys lock their talons together, known as Death Spiral fall. BTW Death Spiral fall can be a part of Bald Eagle courtship display.

http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/154207440/original

To illustrate some action in upside-down ‘mode’ I uploaded composite photo of Laughing Gull attacking Black Skimmer when flying upside-down; as one can see in bottom photo this can be one of the reason we sometimes see birds with broken flight feathers. So not only LAGU can sustain upside-down position during flight but is also capable of attacking other birds and robbing them. In this case BLSK lost his prey, a fish. This composite show also two other LAGUs trying to catch dropped fish, also in upside-down position.

http://www.pbase.com/image/159465316

Cheers,

Mark