Testosterone wars.
Two days ago at Bear River MBR I witnessed an extended fight, a brawl really, that involved about half of the birds in a group of 16-18 paired-up American Coots. The presumed males seemed to take turns chasing and fighting each other while the females mostly watched, seemingly with great interest. The excitement lasted for at least 3-4 minutes. It was pure pandemonium for that long.
But the fights were a bugger to photograph. Most of them occurred with coots that had shore vegetation between me and the combatants, so those shots were invariably soft due to focusing issues. And getting two fighting birds in the frame and reasonably sharp is always difficult. The biggest challenge was anticipating which two birds out of that many possibilities were going to fight. I can’t tell you how many times I had my lens on one bird when a fight broke out between two other birds. My lens, and this photographer, really got a workout.
I only succeeded one time. The following four photos are sequential without any skips.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Before this presumed male started chasing another male, he had his tail sticking up and his head down in the classic coot threat posture so I was able to lock focus on him just before he launched his attack. In this first shot his intended victim is barely out of frame to the right.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Now we see part of the right wing of the coot he’s chasing.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Finally, I got both birds completely in the frame and reasonably sharp.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
This is the last shot I got before losing focus on both birds. I’m quite happy with the last two photos. This perspective, with two fighting coots coming in my direction, is one I rarely get.
This time the intended victim made a clean getaway (barely) but when one bird caught another the resulting fights were often vicious. Several times I saw one coot holding another underwater for long enough that I began to have concerns about that bird’s survival.
Then after 3-4 minutes of many skirmishes, as if on some invisible cue, all the fights were over in an instant and peace returned to the coot community except for the residual squawking of still-excited birds. I waited for a while for more fights to break out but when they didn’t I drove on down the road to look for other birds.
It was a blast while it lasted.
Ron
Great shots. Every bird was fighting yesterday afternoon, mallards, teals, coots, grebes, blackbirds, swallows, avocets, pheasents, sparrows. The only birds I watched in groups peacefully were the pelicans and cormorants. Not any good shots, as you say foliage in the way. The one that surprised me was a red-wing blackbird who did not like a marsh wren singing in his area, he kept chasing the wren and at one point grabbed the bird and pulled out feathers as he shook it. The wren got away and hid in the lower reeds. The blackbird dove down and was rummaging in the reeds after the small bird. The blackbird returned to the top of the phrags but between songs kept looking down into the lower reeds for the wren.
I watched and photographed from a distance an interesting courtship with curlews. Photos are not good, too far and at sunset. When I can process them I will post a few. It will be interesting to get your an Mia’s input on the encounter.
April, that sounds like a fascinating encounter between the blackbird and the wren.
The day I was there I spent far too much time stalking Marsh Wrens, with no luck at all.
Fast, frenetic and well captured. Huge thanks to you and your camera.
Thank you, EC.
Coots are gonna coot! They fight dirty too. Glad they don’t have access to cars or weapons. For some reason your description of the scene has reminded me of the race scene from the movie, Grease. And now I have “Go Greased Lightning” stuck in my head. 😂
These are phenomenal shots, Ron — so sharp and right in on the action! I’ll echo Kris in admiring your application of your knowledge of animal behavior.
I don’t like to earworm alone…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wK63eUyk-iM
“They fight dirty too.”
They sure do, Marty. I’ve seen them do some pretty nasty things to each other.
Your earworm worked…
Hi Ron,
It is always fascinating to observe bird behavior.
Speaking of coots, I’ve never understood why they suddenly and without apparent cause go from a state of absolute calm to open warfare between several contenders. Your post today clearly demonstrates this.
I was lucky enough to photograph one of these fights and I was amazed.
Thank you for sharing.
I don’t understand it either, Jorge. That’s part of what makes coot behavior so interesting to me.
Males will be males. Good series Ron. When fighting like that it is so fast and furious it is for sure very difficult to get good full frame shots. Excellent work by you and R5.
Thanks, Everett. And you’re right, the R5 gets part of the credit.
WOW! THAT was a challenge and well met for the last 2 shots. 🙂 Always amazing how violent and explosive those fights can occur/be! The Coots have to know what triggers them even if we don’t…… 😉
“The Coots have to know what triggers them even if we don’t.”
I wish I did know, Judy. Their tempers are on hair triggers.
Rumble on the pond! Glad after all that nobirdy was hurt.
Testosterone….🤨❗️
“Glad after all that nobirdy was hurt.”
Not that I know of anyway…
I LOVED that last shot– dynamic ! And I always admire the fact that your knowledge of behavioral cues helps you anticipate photogenic
opportunities. I laughed out loud at today’s title, thinking ” aren’t
most wars testosterone ones, when you get right down to it ?”
“aren’t most wars testosterone ones, when you get right down to it ?”
Maybe nearly all of them, Kris. A sad commentary on males.
Very, very nearly all wars. Which is sad. And bad.
Second what Burrdoo wrote.
All that fury in these funny fowl. A kerfuffle or two and its back to normal. We are then left to wonder what it was all about. I sometimes wonder that if we are being watched by aliens if they wonder the same thing about us.
Aliens and Neil Young. Always loved these imaginative lyrics.
“I met a man from Mars
He picked up all my guitars
And played me traveling songs
And when we got on ship
He brought out something for the trip
And said, It’s old but it’s good
Like any other primitive would”
Ahh, the classic extraterrestrial folk song from Neil Young. Looks like you really did dig out your Neil Young albums, as you promised yesterday.
Well done! I admire and appreciate your knowledge, skill and persistence, and look forward to each blog. Thanks for brightening and enriching my life.
Much appreciated, Burrdoo.