(VIDEO) American Avocets Mating

Photographer Laurie Jensen shared this video of two American avocets mating. Jensen said this was her “1st time ever seeing American Avocets in their mating plumage (Red-necks) and they did their mating thing.”

Excerpt from www.featheredphotography.com:

Avocets are monogamous and pairs form up in the spring when the female persistently associates with the male until she is eventually tolerated, then accepted as a mate.  The female initiates copulation by…posture…  It’s called Solicitation Posture and in it she holds her neck extended far out and low.  At times it’s so low that much of the head, bill and neck are under water…

Once interested, the male performs Sexual Preening where he stands close to the female and extends his neck so that his bill tip can preen his breast (always on the side closest to her).   …[W]ater is also used in this specialized preening process where he places his bill in the water and stirs it around vigorously…and then brings the water in his bill to his breast.  The water splashing becomes more intense just before copulation.

Click here to read more about avocet mating.

You can see more of Laurie Jensen’s work at the Humboldt Bay Birds Facebook page.

Facebooktwitterpinterestmail

Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules

Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

11 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Esme
Guest
Esme
5 years ago

Neat! Thanks for sharing.

Nancy Harmeyer
Guest
Nancy Harmeyer
5 years ago

Beautiful!

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
5 years ago

Hot diggety Bird Pron can’t wait HOT date!!! Kidding of course interesting tho, to say the least!!! ;-]]

Bushytails
Guest
Bushytails
5 years ago

I read that as “Advocates” at first…

Laurie Jensen
Guest
Laurie Jensen
5 years ago

Thank you Kym It was a pretty special moment in time for me-seeing the Avocets in their mating plumage then to see the actual mating ritual What a special moment it was

Ben Round
Guest
Ben Round
5 years ago
Reply to  Laurie Jensen

“Moment” is right! Lol.
Thanks for capturing and sharing.

CoveTroll
Guest
CoveTroll
5 years ago

So the female pesters the male until he tolerates her and mates.Sounds pretty backwards if u ask me….

John
Guest
John
5 years ago

Is this really…appropriate material for this venue…?

CoveTroll
Guest
CoveTroll
5 years ago
Reply to  John

Ahhhh yeah. It’s about mating. Duh!

Dobdob
Guest
Dobdob
5 years ago

At the end. He’s like I’m out

CoveTroll
Guest
CoveTroll
5 years ago
Reply to  Dobdob

Yep. Gotta go to work. Later!