The mating ritual was in full display yesterday; a male attracts a female to look at a house (house hunting). She is moderately impressed; but makes him continue the courting ritual for about 2 hours. She still does not accept the box and, so in a final attempt to get her attention, he starts to gather grass for the nest in hopes that she will follow – she does not – yet !! He tries wing – wags, one and both, flies circles around the house, goes in to show her it is safe, comes out, makes several more short flights (never more than 10 feet from the house); finally, she approaches the house, checks the view, and leaves, flies back twice, once while he is in the box, sets on top, he looks for approval, she seem impressed but is not ready and leaves to land on a nearly post and watch while he attempts to pick up and take grass to the house. She watches. In the end nothing is decided.
* All photos taken handled (no tripod) by a Canon 50D with a Canon 400 f/5.6 lens at ISO 500 and TV=1/2,000 sec.
Life and Wildlife along the Little Buffalo River 