The rainy season in East Africa is a good time for birds. Widowbirds, in particular, were all over the place and the males were in breeding plumage. This is the red-cowled widowbird, named for that fancy balaclava. In the first clip, you can see a female pass by in the foreground before the male takes flight in pursuit. The long tails and red hoods are sexual lures — the longer the tail and more brilliant the hood, the better. This guy was flying back and forth across the grasslands, advertising his worthiness. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, 4K video at 120 frames per second.
Based on your music and editing choices I feel like I just watched a teaser for a high concept HBO series about a widowed bird that takes the law into her own hands. And frankly I’m into it.
Stunningly beautiful bird, Sean! Very reminiscent of our red-winged blackbirds that I have had fun recently photographing at a nearby refuge. Love the long tail-feathers! I wonder if the tail-feathers may also serve as a defensive feature? That is, might a predator aim for the bird’s “chassis”, but latch onto only the tail-feathers, thus sparing the bird to fly another day? Anyway, great video – oh, do keep them coming to your website posts!
They do look very red-winged blackbird-y. Their flight is a lot different though, and when performing a mating dance they seem to bounce up and down out of the grass.
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Amazing to see! Thanks.
Thanks Anne. I had never seen so much widowbird activity before. A bonus of the rainy season.
Wow, how impressing. Thanks!
Thanks Gerlinde.
Based on your music and editing choices I feel like I just watched a teaser for a high concept HBO series about a widowed bird that takes the law into her own hands. And frankly I’m into it.
Ha, thanks Louis.
Stunningly beautiful bird, Sean! Very reminiscent of our red-winged blackbirds that I have had fun recently photographing at a nearby refuge. Love the long tail-feathers! I wonder if the tail-feathers may also serve as a defensive feature? That is, might a predator aim for the bird’s “chassis”, but latch onto only the tail-feathers, thus sparing the bird to fly another day? Anyway, great video – oh, do keep them coming to your website posts!
They do look very red-winged blackbird-y. Their flight is a lot different though, and when performing a mating dance they seem to bounce up and down out of the grass.
Oh my gosh! How hard it must be for that small bird to fly dragging that enormous tail! But anything for the ladies, I suppose.