• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • WordPress
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
Science Update

Science Update

Sharing Science | Satisfying Curiosity | Debunking BS

  • Spotlights
  • Reality Check
  • Why Is It?
  • Radio Archives
  • Sciup @ School
Home » Radio Archive » Daily Show » Tail-Wagging Birds

Tail-Wagging Birds

September 1, 2010
https://podcast.scienceupdate.com/100901_sciup_bird.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window

BOB HIRSHON (host):
Why birds bob their tails…I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.

Listener Miranda Edison of Worthington, Massachusetts called in with this question:

MIRANDA EDISON:
I’m wondering why birds bob their tails up and down.

HIRSHON:
We consulted ornithologist Gary Richison, of Eastern Kentucky University. He says that some species probably do it to flush out insects for an easy meal.

GARY RICHISON (Eastern Kentucky University):
For example, with Willy Wagtails that are found in Australia, it’s been pretty well documented that their tail movements probably help to flush out insects.

HIRSHON:
Others may be informing potential predators that they’ve been detected.

GARY RICHISON:
If they know that they’ve been spotted and the bird that they’ve been thinking about attacking is in really good condition, the predator would be better off not wasting the time and energy to attack them.

HIRSHON:
And if you have a question, give us a call at 1-800-why-isit. If we use your question, we’ll send you a Science Update mug! I’m Bob Hirshon, for AAAS, the science society.

Category: Daily ShowTag: Animal Behavior, Biology, Wildlife
Previous Post:Joint Regeneration
Next Post:Smoking & Gene Expression

Sidebar

Radio Program Archives

Want to learn more about the brain? The environment? Here you can browse the topics that come up regularly on Science Update.

Search the Archives

Categories

  • Daily Show
  • Station Download
  • Weekly Show

Find By Tag

  • 2020
  • Acoustics & Sound
  • Aging
  • Animal Behavior
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Astronomy & Space
  • Biology
  • Brain Science
  • Bugs
  • Chemistry
  • Children & Families
  • cicadas
  • Climate & Weather
  • Communications
  • Computer Science
  • Economics & Business
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Engineering & Technology
  • Environment & Conservation
  • Genetics & Evolution
  • Geology
  • Marine Science
  • Materials Science
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine & Health
  • Microbiology
  • Nanotechnology
  • Nutrition & Food Science
  • Paleontology & Dinosaurs
  • Physics
  • Plants & Agriculture
  • Political Science
  • Reality Check
  • Social & Behavioral Sciences
  • Sports & Fitness
  • spotlight
  • Spotlight Bugs
  • Terrorism & War
  • Why Is It? Questions
  • Wildlife
  • Year in Review

Find By Date

Science Update
  • About Science Update
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

Mayan Honeybee hives
House sparrow wearing top hat rides aboard a red fireworks rocket

Copyright © 2023 · Springtail Media LLC · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Pongos