Starlings

[aestarte]

I have a question, I'm probably being a bit blonde and it's probably because I've just been a bit more observant than I was but the starlings are sitting on the roof opposite to my houe and are flapping their wings and doing excellent impressions of penguins, is this a mating thing (tis the season I know) or are they just showing off that they've got wings and I haven't sorry if it's a daft question but I'm just very curious. Thanks. Fi. X X X X

[ron1863]

Probably a mating ritual. I've been watching Robins in my back garden doing similar, the male birds standing to attention and flicking their wings at females.

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by aestarte

I have a question, I'm probably being a bit blonde and it's probably because I've just been a bit more observant than I was but the starlings are sitting on the roof opposite to my houe and are flapping their wings and doing excellent impressions of penguins, is this a mating thing (tis the season I know) or are they just showing off that they've got wings and I haven't sorry if it's a daft question but I'm just very curious. Thanks. Fi. X X X X

Starlings do this a lot, flap their wings and make a gurgling kind of song. I'm not sure if it has seasonal/breeding connections, but it seems likely.

Regards, Chris

[wildmanofthewoods]

You often see fledglings of many species doing this wing vibration thing, it induces the adults to feed them, I think what you are seeing is females doing a similar thing to induce a feed from a wannabe mate

[GlendaleGuy]

This is the behaviour used by male starlings to attract/impress a mate. The male finds a convenient perch from which he sings and at the same time flaps his wings with a kind of circular motion. He will often raise his crest feathers at the same time.