From the You Just Never Know Where You'll Find Dancing in New York file
A fellow birder posted the following message to the eBirds NYC list, and I'm reposting it here with her permission.
While enjoying a stellar day of birding at Prospect Park this afternoon, which was awash in hordes of warblers, vireos, et al pushed in by the previous evening's north/northwest wind, I observed a little brown wren doing an odd little dance.
The wren was perched on a log by some broken down cement steps, near a culvert by the main road, across from the zoo. As I slowly walked over with my pit bull, it began to raise its wings, drop them down, and frame its lowered head with the fanned, stubby wings. It performed the display several times, in a ritualized manner, facing me and my pit bull (though any number of other intruding birds in the immediate vicinity could have been the target of the display).
I'd never observed this behavior in any bird before, so a little research on the Internet was in order upon reaching home. I found a pdf study of Chickadee anti-predator display patterns. The wing wave was clearly illustrated and perfectly matched the wren's antic display. Basically, the bird faces the threat, lowers its head, and waves its wings downward around its head.
The wren was found in an area where I have frequently observed both winter wrens and house wrens for at least 10 years. This individual sported a distinctive white eyebrow marking, so may have been a Carolina wren.
I still don't know how that wren thought she was going to initimidate a pit bull with that cute little performance.
Kim E.
Thanks, Kim, for that stellar bit of dance writing! As for the wren's strategy: whatever it takes, cookie! But click here and on the Play button to see InfiniteBody's considerably fiercer official mascot.