Date: 5/6/26 5:09 am From: Michael Haas <ihateokra88...> Subject: [VTBIRD] Agonistic behavior in purple finches
Yesterday, while seated on the deck of my cabin at the border of meadow and
woodland, I observed two female purple finches displaying agonistic
behavior. They faced off among the low branches of red maples just above a
feeder that was situated below. Both had visited the feeder, separately,
prior to their interaction, but then, over the course of 10 to 15 minutes,
they confronted one another on the branches above. Each displayed
agonistic postures well-described in Cornell's "Birds of the World."
Intermittently, one assumed a head high, pecking down posture, her opponent
took a squatting stance, tail splayed, head facing up, beak gaping. The
skirmish, as I said, went on for a while, as they flitted among the
branches. Occasionally a third female entered the fray. It is interesting
to me that only females were involved; no male was in sight. I
surmise they were competing for a nesting site or access to the feeder.
