[obol] re: Pectoral encounters

[Tom McNamara]

OBOL,

I, too, have on numerous occasions watched with fascination these behaviors 
variously named –“chest bumping”  and “pectoral  encounters”.   There is a 
kind of pattern to the behavior.  The times I’ve seen it it definitely 
involves the same species but that there has been enormous monomorphic range 
in both size and plumage i.e. only in males who are clearly associated by 
the always-bright plumage of a certain phase.  Another color phase seems to 
associate only with those individuals of like plumage.  The behavior 
consistently seems  to involve one group running down a smooth flat area 
almost like a kind of court  where they take turns throwing a round object 
to one another and then finally putting this  object through a kind of ring 
sometimes with a  swish or “Swisher” sound.   Can’t be sure why but after 
that happens, at times, one individual makes eye contact with another of  
like plumage and they both run at one another and chest bump Con Gusto!  and 
  then turn to others and keep at it.

Only seen this on video.

Anyone else actually seen a species act this way. Any ideas what’s going on?

Good “birding”
Tom