Blue tit behaviour

I have just spent some pleasant time basking in the sunshine watching
the comings and goings of the blue tits in one of our nest boxes. Most
of their time is spent flying back and forth with food for the young.
Occasionally one of the adults enters the box and flies out with
droppings in its' beak. On one of these waste removal trips, the
dropping slipped from the adult's beak about twenty five feet from the
nest box. The adult deftly flew down and caught the dropping in mid air
and flew off with it again. Does anyone know why the adult should do
this ? Why not let the dropping fall to the ground ?

"caractacus" <richard.d.mayes@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1149328727.520348.141290@y43g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...
:I have just spent some pleasant time basking in the sunshine watching
: the comings and goings of the blue tits in one of our nest boxes. Most
: of their time is spent flying back and forth with food for the young.
: Occasionally one of the adults enters the box and flies out with
: droppings in its' beak. On one of these waste removal trips, the
: dropping slipped from the adult's beak about twenty five feet from the
: nest box. The adult deftly flew down and caught the dropping in mid air
: and flew off with it again. Does anyone know why the adult should do
: this ? Why not let the dropping fall to the ground ?
:

Droppings around the nest advertise its presence to predators??
ER

caractacus <richard.d.mayes@gmail.com> wrote:

> I have just spent some pleasant time basking in the sunshine watching
> the comings and goings of the blue tits in one of our nest boxes. Most
> of their time is spent flying back and forth with food for the young.
> Occasionally one of the adults enters the box and flies out with
> droppings in its' beak. On one of these waste removal trips, the
> dropping slipped from the adult's beak about twenty five feet from the
> nest box. The adult deftly flew down and caught the dropping in mid air
> and flew off with it again. Does anyone know why the adult should do
> this ? Why not let the dropping fall to the ground ?

Most birds aren't exactly bright and a lot of what they do is
genetically pre-programmed. I guess Blue Tits are 'programmed' to take
the waste a certain distance ...?
--
Larry Stoter

	#1
caractacus	Blue tit behaviour I have just spent some pleasant time basking in the sunshine watching the comings and goings of the blue tits in one of our nest boxes. Most of their time is spent flying back and forth with food for the young. Occasionally one of the adults enters the box and flies out with droppings in its' beak. On one of these waste removal trips, the dropping slipped from the adult's beak about twenty five feet from the nest box. The adult deftly flew down and caught the dropping in mid air and flew off with it again. Does anyone know why the adult should do this ? Why not let the dropping fall to the ground ?

	#2
Ted Richardson	Re: Blue tit behaviour "caractacus" <richard.d.mayes@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1149328727.520348.141290@y43g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com... :I have just spent some pleasant time basking in the sunshine watching : the comings and goings of the blue tits in one of our nest boxes. Most : of their time is spent flying back and forth with food for the young. : Occasionally one of the adults enters the box and flies out with : droppings in its' beak. On one of these waste removal trips, the : dropping slipped from the adult's beak about twenty five feet from the : nest box. The adult deftly flew down and caught the dropping in mid air : and flew off with it again. Does anyone know why the adult should do : this ? Why not let the dropping fall to the ground ? : Droppings around the nest advertise its presence to predators?? ER

	#3
Larry Stoter	Re: Blue tit behaviour caractacus <richard.d.mayes@gmail.com> wrote: > I have just spent some pleasant time basking in the sunshine watching > the comings and goings of the blue tits in one of our nest boxes. Most > of their time is spent flying back and forth with food for the young. > Occasionally one of the adults enters the box and flies out with > droppings in its' beak. On one of these waste removal trips, the > dropping slipped from the adult's beak about twenty five feet from the > nest box. The adult deftly flew down and caught the dropping in mid air > and flew off with it again. Does anyone know why the adult should do > this ? Why not let the dropping fall to the ground ? Most birds aren't exactly bright and a lot of what they do is genetically pre-programmed. I guess Blue Tits are 'programmed' to take the waste a certain distance ...? -- Larry Stoter