Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-08-16
PATAGONiAN BIRDS.
Many of Them Indulge in Exceedingly
Eccentric Performances.

Many of Them Indulge in Exceedingly
Eccentric Performances.
The black-faced ibis of Patagonia,
bird nearly as large as turkey, in
iulges in a curious mad performance,
usually in the evening when feed
Mng time is over. The birds of flock,
,while winging their way to the roosting
place, all at once seemed possessed with
frenzy, simultaneously dashing down.
ward with amazing violence, doubling
ibout in the most eccentric manner, and
when close to the surface rising again to
,epeat the action, all the while making
She air palpitate for miles around with
heir hard metallic cries. Other ibises,
4lso birds Of other genera, have similar
Ierial performances.
The displays of most ducks known to
inc take the form of mock fights on the
water; one exception is the handsome
md loouacious whistling widgeon of La
Plata which has a pretty aerial per-
,ormance. A dozen or twenty birds rise
,p until they appear like small specks
n the sky and sometimes disappear
from sight altogether, and at that great
altitude they continue lowering in one
pot, often for an hour or longer, alter
atingly closing and separating, the
me, bright, whistling notes and -four
6hes of the male curiously harmonizing
nth the grave, measured notes of the
,9male, and every time they close they
lap one another on the wings so smart
y that the sound can be distinctly
.eard, like applauding hand claps, even
fter the birds have ceased to be visi-
lie.
The rails active. sprightly birds with
,owerful and varied voices, are great
erformers, but, owing to the nature OF
le ground they inhabit and to their
Ely, suspicious character, it is not easy
b observe their antics. The finest Of
le Plantan rails is the ypecaha, beau
full, active bird about the size of the
owl A number of ypecahas have their
Ssembling place on a small area Of
Inooth, level ground, just above the wa
ar, and hemmed in by dense rush beds.
FIRST, one bird among the rushes emits
powerful cry, thrice repeated, and
lis is a note of invitation, quickly re-
onded to by other birds from all sides
they hurriedly repair to the usual
lace. In few moments they appear,
the number of dozen or twenty,
,Irsting from the rushes and running
to the open space and instantly be-
ming the performance. This is ire
,endous screaming concert The
,reams they utter have certain resem-
,ance to the human voice exerted to its
'most pitch and expression of extreme
error, frenzy and despair. A long,
sercing shrek, astonishing for its
hemence and power, is succeeded by
lower note, as if in the first the crea-
re had well nigh exhausted itself;
is double scream is repeated several
ines, and followed by other sounds, re-
V,nbling, as they rise and fall, half
othered cries of pain and means Of
. guish. Suddenly the unearthly
,rieks are renewed in all their power
nile screaming, the birds rush from
g to side, as if possessed with mad
1iss, the wings spread and vibrating, the
ing beak wide open and raised vertical
This exhibition lasts three or four
nutes, after which the assembly
C lcefully breaks up.
The singular waited, wing-spurred
; vi long-toed jacana has remarkable
Torrance, which seems specially de-
/ ned to bring out the concealed beauty
! f the silky, greenish-golden wing
lis. The birds go singly or in pairs,
! Ell dozen or fifteen individuals may
r !, found in a marshy place feeding
hin sight of one another. Occasion
$ =, in response to note of invitation,
y all in moment leave off feeding
n fly to one spot, and forming close
5, Q ;ster and emitting short excited,
aidly-repeated notes, display their
= T ,gs, like beautiful flags grouped
sely together; some hold the wings
vertically and motionless, others halt
5r 81 IN and vibrating rapidly, while still
" el :ers wave them up and down with a
m s, ", measured acknowledgements
'as ! gazine.