Skylarking (birds)
Encyclopedia
Skylarking refers to the aerial displays including song made by various species of bird
s, such as Cassin's Sparrow
(Peterson 1990). Many skylarking display
s are in courtship. Some are referred to as territorial displays by the male. There are some instances in which birdwatchers claim that skylarking has been used by male birds to avoid predators; the objective being that the predator will mistake the prey for another type of bird and end the pursuit. This survival tactic rarely works.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, such as Cassin's Sparrow
Cassin's Sparrow
Cassin's Sparrow , Peucaea cassinii, is a medium-sized sparrow.This passerine bird's range is primarily along the United States/Mexico border, with a breeding range that extends through the Great Plains states up to the southwestern corner of Nebraska, and a winter range that extends well into...
(Peterson 1990). Many skylarking display
Display (zoology)
Display is a form of animal behaviour, linked to survival of the species in various ways. One example of display used by some species can be found in the form of courtship, with the male usually having a striking feature that is distinguished by colour, shape or size, used to attract a female...
s are in courtship. Some are referred to as territorial displays by the male. There are some instances in which birdwatchers claim that skylarking has been used by male birds to avoid predators; the objective being that the predator will mistake the prey for another type of bird and end the pursuit. This survival tactic rarely works.