And we’re back for Day Two of the Swarovski Guest Blogging Contest. This entry, from Lynnanne Fager, is about a very unusual visitor to her backyard.
Results of a Backyard Bird Bordello
Spring is in the air and that only means one thing in my backyard: sex. At least for the birds, that is.
We hang cute little boxes, put out their favorite foods, all in an effort to coax the feathered sex fiends into the yard. We make sure the nest boxes have the right size holes for the bird we’re trying to attract. We put ventilation in, so the poor things don’t overheat. Sometimes, we even go so far as to put guttering on to catch the rain. We do all this just to invite sex into the back yard.
These birds don’t need any instruction, any sex manuals, doctor’s visits, or prenatal exams. Or do they?
It would seem our chickadees are out of control. They have no sense of dignity. At least one of our chickadees has been caught foolin’ around with the titmice. It seems we’ve created a backyard bird bordello.
This is what I found at my feeders one day in October, 2006.
Hybrid Chickadee x Tufted titmouse, north central Indiana (photo by Lynnanne Fager, 2006)As far as I was concerned, there was only one thing it could be: a chick-a-mouse. (There are several word combos that one could put on this bird, but we won’t go there now!)
I put an email out to Cornell, minus the photo, explaining the bird I had and requesting any documentation on chickadee x tufted titmouse hybrids. I received a response that basically told me I didn’t know what I was talking about – and that if I had a photo, this gal would try to explain to me what it was I was seeing.
I sent the photo to her and moved on.
I put out a call and sent the above photo to master bander Dr. Ron Weiss who made swift plans to get this bird banded.
He did some research on the hybridization of these two birds and posted it on his website.
Ron arrived one Sunday, set up his nets and opened his banding station. This bird did nothing but tease us the entire morning flying into the feeding area, up and around the nets, that is until Indiana Wesleyan University Professor Steve Conrad showed up (Steve is working on a sub-banding permit, on the hybridization of the black-capped and Carolina chickadee. We joked and said the bird was waiting just for him).
After dancing a few jigs on top of the mist nets, our bird finally flew into the net.
Ron flew out the door, contained the bird and brought it into the house and closed the door behind him. He wasn’t taking any chances.
All the proper measurements were taken and recorded; the bracelet was secured around its leg. Ron checked the skull, and patterns on the tail feathers, noting it was a hatch year bird.
He collected DNA and plucked a few feathers, while I took quite a few photos. He then went outside, took GPS coordinates and released the bird.
Team Chick-a-mouse from left: Ron Weiss (holding the bird), Steve Conrad,Lynnanne Fager, Tom Barker and Nancy Barker (photo by Jenna Fager, 2006)
The gal at Cornell wrote back a few weeks later with a sweet apology and included an ID from one of their top ornithologists stating that he thought it looked like a hybrid titmouse x chickadee. He suggested I contact Ohio State, but it was too late. Ron already had the bird. To date, the DNA cells are still in process (If there’s another lab out there who is interested in crunching this bird’s cells, contact me – I have rights to half of the DNA collected.)
The bird hung around our yard for a few months, until the sub-zero February winds blew through, carrying our strange little bird away with it.
Since then, I am constantly looking for a touch of unique in my yard birds. I find myself paying close attention, especially to those chickadees and titmice, and am always on the lookout for another strange creation from my backyard.
Excellent post and a fun read!
Congrats on the interesting find. Amazing what we can see in our back yards!
Awesome story with your pics.
Did he scold you like a chickadee, or was he quiet as a mouse?
Great post, Lynnanne!!! Loved to hear about this interesting adventure.
How cool! Fascinating stuff.
Did I miss something? Where was this?
Ah, wacky bird sex…So fun!
Great story, Lynnanne.
It would be neat if you could let us know about the results of the DNA test once it is available.
That sure is one strange bundle of feathers!
Congrats!!
Jeez. I have enough trouble just identifying the plain old chicks and mouses!
Good eye to spot that sweet little baby!
Ahhh, love is blind! I have the same problem…LOL..always crossing over to other DNA…LOL
Wow! That is so cool! An Excellent birding adventure, and you didn’t even have to leave your own house!
Great story and a fascinating reading. Thanks.
Now, you’d best tone down the bird sex thing or you’d be attacked by the loonies at stopbirdporn.org
Greetings from sunny Lima, Peru
WOW. Great post! I had lots of titmice and BC chickadees in my yard, sharing a common feeder, but I never found any chickamouses. Chickamice?
Anyone else want to say “Boom chicka-mouse-mouse”? No? Just me?
That’s my cus! Good eye for our feathered friends. Way to go Mert!
I call the pished in flocks of chickadees and titmice “Chickamice” as a catch-all. I never thought there could be an actual specific bird with that designation.
Very cool.
Karen! LOL, that was the first thing my mind said! Boom-chicka-mouse! Great story, good luck in the DNA world!
What a cosmically cool experience!
My wife and I had some fun with naming this bird.
Excellent post!
This is very interesting! Good eye and good persistence following it up, too.
ISN’T LOVE GRAND ! GREAT OBSERVATION AND STORY. GOODNESS I’M LUCKY IF I NOTICE A CARDINAL (THANK HEAVENS THEY’RE RED)!!! YOU GO GIRL !!!!!
ISN’T LOVE GRAND !!!! A FABULOUS FIND AND STORY……………WHAT AN OBSERVATION………HECK I’M LUCKY IF I IDENTIFY A CARDINAL (THANK GOODNESS THEY’RE RED)!!! YOU GO GIRL !!!
hey…i wondered what happened with this find. Such a great story, thanks cuz, tanya
Birdchick would not have called it a chickamouse.
This is tewtally cool. So great that you got DNA and all and shared the find. I’m sure everyone but the chickamouse was delighted!
How fascinating and adorable!
This is a cool story! I’m glad you were so persistent in tracking down the origins of this bird.
Congrats! Such a wonderful story and beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing and good luck bird watching. (if that is what your really watching for):) lol Can’t wiat to see the next “crazy bird”.