Re: [cobirds] Migrant Poorwill doesn't flush until I touch him

I was up at Centennial Cone Park 5 or 6 weeks ago and one of the volunteer park guides passed me and my on-leash dog while we were walking in. After telling him I was birding and specifically looking for Dusky Grouse, he said there were 2 dead "grouse" in the middle of the trail about a 1/4 mile farther. They turned out to be Common Poorwills. I'm wondering if their behavior didn't get them killed as this a heavily biked area. If they were day-roosting on the trail, fast moving fat tired mountain bikes might have squashed them before they could flush. One of them just looked flattened as if it was just perching on the ground and run over. The second was splayed out like it was hit while flushing with wings extended. Sad to see. Hoping others pick a better spot to day-roost next year.

Cheers,

Chip Clouse

Lakewood

On Thu, Oct 5, 2023, 6:20 AM dgulb...@gmail.com <dgulbenkian@gmail.com> wrote:

Thank you for the suggestion. It was sunny and 60 degrees at the time, and there

was actually more than usual bird activity all around him from Flickers, a resident Towhee,

a Robin (first in a while), and others.  But perhaps the Poorwill was exhausted from his

journey and still recovering from nighttime torpor.

On Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 4:24:10 AM UTC-6 T. Luke George wrote:

The bird was probably in torpor to save energy during the cold evening and morning period.

On Wed, Oct 4, 2023 at 11:28 AM dgulb...@gmail.com <dgulb...@gmail.com> wrote:

Nightjars are known for roosting in plain sight during the day,

relying on their amazing camouflage.

I've looked right at a Potoo without seeing him until he was pointed

out to me.  But today's Poorwill was a stunner.

At 10 this morning I was slowly advancing on a pair of canoe cushions

along the side of my tennis court, which is edged with river rock, to see if

I could spot any hard-to-see spurge weeds amid the rocks.

I wasn't making any noise, except for moving the back cushion ahead

and sliding onto it.  I noticed an odd-shaped bundle between the

chain-link fence and the rocks, but paid no attention to it. Even when I was

seated right alongside of it-- less than 12" away--I noticed nothing,

but spent some time picking up some debris on my other side.  Maybe I

shouldn't have been wearing my distance glasses!  Anyway, my curiosity

finally kicked in and I put my hand on it to pick it up.  It flushed exactly like

a Grouse (like an airplane taking off), startling the heck out of me.

Was it asleep until I touched it?  Possibly, but I think it more likely it was

awake by then and just was relying on its camouflage.

David Gulbenkian

Crown Hill Open Space neighborhood, Jeffco

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​T. Luke George, PhD

Master Instructor, ​Colorado ​State University

Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology

Wagar 110

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P​rofessor Emeritus, Humboldt State University

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"what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Mary Oliver

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