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RE: hummer predator



I noticed something strange from a distance on one of my feeders late this
afternoon and watched a hummer do a missed approach and fly off, so I went
out to investigate.  A 4-inch Carolina Mantis (gray-brown) was perched in
prayer (no doubt for a light (2 gm) snack) atop the feeder next to one of
the ports.  He(she) looked kinda' small to be anticipating overpowering a
hummer, but who knows what he(she) may have been thinking.  After seeing the
photos last year of the Chinese Mantis (Mantis religiosa: green and much
larger see
http://www.1000plus.com/Hbirds/010922%20DSBG%20Praying%20Mantis%20.JPG) that
was mortally munching on a hummer clasped in its spiked forelegs, I
collected the predator onto my hand and I released him/her in the Camellias
where he/she could find more suitable prey.

My question is:  Did he/she know?  Had he/she landed on the feeder by
happenstance?  Hmmmmmmmm.....?  This is a first-ever such observation for
me.  Anyone else ever see Mantids lying in wait on hummer feeders?

Cheers! 7;^)
Tomm "watsizname" Lorenzin
Mooresville (Lake Norman), NC
skytomm(at)1000plus.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's a poor sort of memory
that only works backwards.  ~Lewis Carroll

  ...and spottily, at best. ~Tomm Lorenzin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Visit me at: http://www.1000plus.com/  

> -----Original Message-----
> From: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu 
> [mailto:carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu] On Behalf Of gary
> Sent: Friday, September 12, 2003 18:54
> To: Joshua S. Rose; carolinabirds@duke.edu
> Subject: Re: hummer predator
> 
> 
> hi y'all,
> 
> hummers and cicadas are just about the same size and from a 
> low elevation standpoint look alot alike as they move 
> through/around shrubbery.
> 
> apparently cicadas are a rather tasy catch for many of our 
> feathered friends; i've observed cardinals snag 'em, and 
> often seen them "mantle" over their catch like a hawk.
> 
> cicadas have been emerging in our neighborhood of late, and a 
> bunch of unruly juv. hummers are chasing each other over, 
> under and around any standing vegetation, autos, flying 
> flags, human observers, etc. around. might be pretty easy to 
> mistake one for the other, esp. if you're hungry and have a 
> split-second to catch a meal.
> 
> 'course, that's not to say a thrasher hasn't developed a 
> search image for a tiny, sugar-charged thimbleful of feathers....
> 
> good grief, now i gotta police the thrashers...
>