Naturally Al Batt

Flying nuptial tubercles

Naturally
 I listened to the morning’s bird song featuring orchestral complexity. I joined in the dawn chorus by singing, “I Put a Spell On You.” 
 American white pelicans flew over. The upper mandible on some had developed a flattened, semicircular, fibrous plate (horn) called a nuptial tubercle. Birds mature enough to reproduce develop a nuptial tubercle, which falls off when mating season is over and is unique to the American white pelican. The size of the bump or sail is variable, and both sexes develop it. Its purpose is to make them more attractive to mates. Upon molting into its eclipse plumage at the end of the breeding season, their crests turn gray and their eye color changes from dark to light. Both the males and the females develop the tubercle.
I was in North Dakota
 I sought the company of a chestnut-collared longspur, which prefers grazed or mowed grasslands over undisturbed ground because of the short grass they provide. Overgrazing can be detrimental to nesting. The bird nests on the ground, often by a cowpie or under a clump of grass. They forage on the ground for seeds, insects and spiders. Scientists don't know why their nests are often near dried cow dung patties. Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it.
Q&A
 “Will swans chase away Canada geese?” Only a mature, mated territorial nesting pair of trumpeter swans chase off geese and other waterfowl in their nesting waters. This aggressive behavior is usually exhibited only during the nesting season, which begins in April. Swans and geese often co-exist nicely, and it isn’t unusual to see them swimming together. At times of the year, the swans will readily flock with the geese. Young swans or two swans of the same sex will not be as aggressive and generally tolerate geese and other waterfowl at any time of year. Swans get along famously with other species. Swans tend to discourage geese from getting too close, especially when they have babies. However, they don’t usually force geese to leave the water, except in small farm ponds.
 “Why do cats sleep so much?” On average, cats doze off for a 13 to 16 hours per day. These marathon naps aren’t a sign of laziness, but rather a reflection of cats' unique biology and health requirements. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they need to get most of their nutrients from high-protein meats. Cats are skilled predators. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences implicates domestic cats in the extinction of at least two reptile species, 21 mammal species, and 40 bird species—accounting for 26% of all known contemporary extinctions in these species. Domestic cats pose a threat to a minimum of 367 species at risk of extinction. After a protein-rich meal, cats can experience a surge of the amino acid tryptophan, which leads to the production of serotonin. This naturally occurring brain chemical serves as a mood stabilizer and brings about feelings of contentment and relaxation, setting the stage for a good snooze. The tendency to doze during daylight hours and become more active as dusk falls is a natural rhythm ingrained in their predatory DNA.
 “How can I tell if a ladybug is a multicolored lady beetle?” This beetle is originally from Asia and was first released for biological control of other insects in this country in 1916. It’s not known for certain whether the establishment of lady beetles in the US resulted from accidental entries, planned releases or both. The beetle’s color ranges from yellow to orange to red, with zero to 19 black spots. The wings could even be entirely black with red spots. That’s why its name includes “multicolored.” A consistent pattern is the black “M” on a white plate behind its head, just above the wings. It could be an "M" or a "W," depending upon whether the beetle is viewed from the front or rear.
 “What bird lays the most eggs?” In an official test conducted at the College of Agriculture, University of Missouri, in 1979, a white leghorn laid 371 eggs in 365 days. This super chicken also laid an egg a day for 448 consecutive days. The average laying hen, depending on breed, produces around 300 eggs per year. 
 “How can I stop a sapsucker from drilling holes in a tree?” Wrap the targeted area in burlap over a wide enough section that the sapsucker won’t start a new ring of holes. The ruby-crowned and golden-crowned kinglet, phoebe, yellow-rumped warbler, Cape May warbler, ruby-throated hummingbird, woodpeckers, squirrels, moths and butterflies all feed on sap or insects found in sap wells.
Thanks for stopping by
 "The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn."—Ralph Waldo Emerson.
 “Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.”—Hans Christian Andersen.
 Do good.

©Al Batt 2024

I’ve heard the ornamental fibrous plate growing on the upper mandible called a horn, bump, sail, knob or nuptial tubercle. Both male and female mature (3-year-old) American white pelicans develop nuptial tubercles that fall off when the mating mating season is over. Photo by Al Batt.