(no subject)
After reading a bit on tropical birds, I found a really great photo of the Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo.
I thought to myself- why, why the long silly tail thing? It looks like it must be related to flycatchers... I bet it has something to do with catching insects, but what exactly? A little googling later and this is what I found out: Yes, of course, it's related to flycatchers. Yes, the tail has to do with catching insects! I wasn't the only one wondering..
"and I was pondering why its tail length should be so exaggerated when it spied a small swarm of honeybees. He flew into the swarm dragging his tail and suddenly spread and bowed it stopping his flight forward to begin almost a hover catching the bees in midair. The tail provides fantastic aerobatic maneuvering ability that assists in catching quick flying prey."
(from Birds of Belize.. a written observation of a fork tailed fly catcher)
So what did you learn today?