Duck behavior; openings in next Courtship and Rivalry in Birds class this week.

I've been getting some nice photos of Mallard behavior the last few weeks out the windows at the Lab.  What has been fun is watching them and predicting their next moves.  I see a male bathing like in the photo, and I say, "Next he is going to stand up in the water, flap his wings, then lean forward, stick his tail up in the air and waggle it, and maybe dip his bill in the water."  Then they do exactly as I say, and to people who don't know bird behavior it seems like magic.

We discuss stereotyped duck display behaviors like this in the second week of our online course Courtship and Rivalry in Birds.  Many students say this module has given them a new appreciation for the common birds around them.

The next 5-week session of the course begins on this Wednesday,13 April, and ends Tuesday, 17 May. The number of students is limited to 32 in each class, but there are still a few spaces available for this one.

The course is full of videos, photographs, interactive exercises, self-tests, and more. You can see an introductory video and get more information at www.birds.cornell.edu/courses.