Swans and geese

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Rum
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Re: Swans and geese

Post by Rum » Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:22 pm

I have occasionally wondered what the evolutionary advantage of a long neck might be for swans. I assume it is about feeding in deeper water, but that is speculation..

..thus do I spend my time.. :bored:

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Re: Swans and geese

Post by Xamonas Chegwé » Sun Apr 03, 2011 12:26 am

Faithfree wrote:A few days ago I was in Stratford Upon Avon and the Avon River was infested with Swans. I'm used to black swans back home who swim around with their wings flat on their backs, and most of the swans I've seen over here do the same. But a lot of these were holding up their wings up above their body. What's that all about? Drying wet wings, or some perverted mating ritual?

Image
Image
The 'wings-up' pose is called busking. It is an aggressive pose that (supposedly) makes the swan look bigger and more threatening to rival males and/or predators.
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Re: Swans and geese

Post by hadespussercats » Sun Apr 03, 2011 4:33 pm

Xamonas Chegwé wrote:
Faithfree wrote:A few days ago I was in Stratford Upon Avon and the Avon River was infested with Swans. I'm used to black swans back home who swim around with their wings flat on their backs, and most of the swans I've seen over here do the same. But a lot of these were holding up their wings up above their body. What's that all about? Drying wet wings, or some perverted mating ritual?

Image
Image
The 'wings-up' pose is called busking. It is an aggressive pose that (supposedly) makes the swan look bigger and more threatening to rival males and/or predators.
I have to admit, the swan in the second photo does look like he could be saying, "Yeah, I'll fuck you up."

In a very pretty way, of course.
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Re: Swans and geese

Post by Azathoth » Sun Apr 03, 2011 4:55 pm

Pappa wrote:
lake.jpg
Dirty horrible bad tempered fucking things. They should shoot the lot down there apart from one pair
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Re: Swans and geese

Post by Faithfree » Sun Apr 03, 2011 7:11 pm

Xamonas Chegwé wrote: The 'wings-up' pose is called busking. It is an aggressive pose that (supposedly) makes the swan look bigger and more threatening to rival males and/or predators.
Ah, that makes sense. Thanks XC! :tup:
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Re: Swans and geese

Post by egbert » Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:02 am

So It take up kayaking. My first paddle is at a local conservation (conversation?) area that has a nice finger dock I can launch from. So I clamber into the kayak, and push away from the dock. The kayak begins to heel over to one side, so I lean the other way to counterbalance, and, the more I lean, the more the kayak tips, until it capsizes.
That's when I discover the conservation area consists of about a foot of water above god knows what depth of stinking black primeval ooze.
I clamber out onto the dock, bail out the kayak, get back in, and set off rather shakily. Eventually gaining some confidence, I spot a pair of beautiful white swans, and paddle in their direction. What the hell is this - THEY'RE ATTACKING ME! NO, NOT ANOTHER CAPSIZE...
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Re: Swans and geese

Post by FBM » Tue Apr 05, 2011 10:00 am

hadespussercats wrote:I don't know-- but you managed to explain what seemed "off" to me about black swans-- no fluffed wings.
Hmm...maybe they don't need them so much... http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_ne ... 442210.stm
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Re: Swans and geese

Post by hadespussercats » Tue Apr 05, 2011 3:35 pm

FBM wrote:
hadespussercats wrote:I don't know-- but you managed to explain what seemed "off" to me about black swans-- no fluffed wings.
Hmm...maybe they don't need them so much... http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_ne ... 442210.stm
Interesting article. :tup:
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