- Nov 9, 2013
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For those of you who are new, ‘Planet Rothschildi’ is a wild-emu-observation project nearing the 5,000-day mark. The project has consisted, with the help of BYC members, of assembling 'bigger pictures' from lots and lots and lots of observations.
So here is an insight that we only managed because Tooshtoosh the orphan is a bit of a sook, and spent more time under observation than is usual.
And so did his chicks.
Tooshtoosh abandoned his clutch in mid-winter. This is normal.
But the chicks have stayed ‘in orbit.’ They are about fifteen months old now, and identifiable as ‘chicks’ only by the remnants of juvenile plumage at the top of their necks, and (you must look closely) by being just a little smaller and lighter.
They stopped vocalizing months ago. But just this morning, I heard one distinctly utter a sound that I’ve never heard before. Can’t describe it. But we remain interested in this period between the ceasing of the ceaseless cheeping of chicks, and the first adult gurks and foomphs that we hear.
Now here is the best bit:
we had perhaps assumed that, once abandoned, a clutch of chicks breaks up fairly fast. (And we have fairly good insights into the behavior of young adults.) But last week ten emus turned up for breakfast. Four were Tooshtoosh’s clutch. One was their (adult) auntie, ‘LimpyChick.’
But the other five turned out to be another clutch of abandoned chicks! We didn’t get good observations. But I distinctly heard one of them cheep. And they looked like chicks: a little undersized.
And it began to make sense.
Five emus. None vocalized in response to LimpyChick’s aggression. None 'bigged up' against her. And it's not the season for a 'shmooze' of emus to be travelling about.
So is it the case that I have repeatedly seen, in spring, groups of slightly-undersized chicks without realizing that they are clutches that have not broken up since Dad left them?
So here is an insight that we only managed because Tooshtoosh the orphan is a bit of a sook, and spent more time under observation than is usual.
And so did his chicks.
Tooshtoosh abandoned his clutch in mid-winter. This is normal.
But the chicks have stayed ‘in orbit.’ They are about fifteen months old now, and identifiable as ‘chicks’ only by the remnants of juvenile plumage at the top of their necks, and (you must look closely) by being just a little smaller and lighter.
They stopped vocalizing months ago. But just this morning, I heard one distinctly utter a sound that I’ve never heard before. Can’t describe it. But we remain interested in this period between the ceasing of the ceaseless cheeping of chicks, and the first adult gurks and foomphs that we hear.
Now here is the best bit:
we had perhaps assumed that, once abandoned, a clutch of chicks breaks up fairly fast. (And we have fairly good insights into the behavior of young adults.) But last week ten emus turned up for breakfast. Four were Tooshtoosh’s clutch. One was their (adult) auntie, ‘LimpyChick.’
But the other five turned out to be another clutch of abandoned chicks! We didn’t get good observations. But I distinctly heard one of them cheep. And they looked like chicks: a little undersized.
And it began to make sense.
Five emus. None vocalized in response to LimpyChick’s aggression. None 'bigged up' against her. And it's not the season for a 'shmooze' of emus to be travelling about.
So is it the case that I have repeatedly seen, in spring, groups of slightly-undersized chicks without realizing that they are clutches that have not broken up since Dad left them?
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