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Hi Peter and others,
The foot pattering you describe has been observed in a number of bird families. Most people have seen it in action in various plover and sandpiper species. It is also used by members of the heron family and by gulls. The behavior is well described for several species in the thrush family as well though, particularly Hermit Thrushes. As was already suggested, it is thought that for land birds it is used to disturb ground cover and startle insects into moving thereby allowing them to be more easily caught. For shorebirds the principle is the same, though the mechanism is a bit different. Foot trembling on the surface of wet sand or mud causes prey items to rise from their burrows/tubes to the surface and thus they become available to be caught.
All the best,
Lance
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of Peter Payzant
Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2010 5:24 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: EXTERNAL: Re: [NatureNS] Hermit Thrush Foraging Technique
Yes, of course, that's a very familiar behaviour. What I reported was quite different. The bird didn't move back and forth; it just stood on one foot and rapidly patted the ground with the other.
Peter
Phil Schappert wrote:
At 9:26 AM -0300 10/12/10, Peter Payzant wrote:
I was watching a Hermit Thrush at our place in Waverley today, as it was foraging in a weedy meadow-ish area. I was amused to see it rapidly patting the ground with one foot, pause, and then move on a few inches and try again. Clearly it was hoping to disturb resting insects in the leaf litter. This foot-patting technique is often seen in sandpipers, but I think that this is the first time that I have seen it in a passerine.
Have you never watched white-throats (and others) doing the "sparrow shuffle", Peter? More a sparrow cha-cha than a shuffle, I guess, but it accomplishes the same ends I think.
Phil
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