May 17, 2009 - Jousting Robins

Welcome to the Nature Notebook.

Like two Medieval knights preparing for a joust, a pair of robins eye each other across a short expanse of lawn. They begin hopping toward one another. One bird is the challenger; the other defender of its territory. Hop, hop. Stop. Stare. Hop, hop. As they close on each other wings fan out. At the last minute they jump in the air and fly at one another, puffed out chests butting together. The pair breaks off, the birds landing a few feet apart only to begin the “joust” again. This time the outcome is different.  One robin darts away, followed by the second in close pursuit. The chase is noisy but short-lived. The defender quickly returns to his territory, ready to show his colors and take on all comers. With any luck he will win his lady fair before long.

This is PPL's naturalist, Jon Beam, with the Nature Notebook for WVIA.