[00:00:10]
SO THIS IS A LITTLE AMERICAN ALLIGATORS, NOT A CROCODILE.
IN FACT, ONE OF THEM JUST FLEW
MAYBE IT'S THE VARIETY OF COLORS THAT COME IN, THE ELABORATE COURTSHIP BEHAVIORS THEY DISPLAY, OR THE COOL METHODS THAT THEY HAVE FOR SECURING FOOD AND CAPTURING PREY.
MAYBE IT'S JUST THE FACT THAT THEY CAN TAKE OFF AND FLY SOMETIMES HUNDREDS OF MILES TO BREEDING GROUNDS OR FEEDING AREAS, WHATEVER.
THE REASON, MOST PEOPLE REALLY LIKE BIRDS.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE AVIAN FAUNA THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
THE WOODS BEHIND ME ARE HOME TO ONE OF THE COOLEST BIRDS OF ALL THE BUTCHER BIRD AND BIOLOGISTS.
AMY TEGLAR FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IS HERE TO SHOW US ONE WE'RE AT NEMOURS TODAY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND LOOK FOR SOME LOGGERHEADS STRIKES.
THEY'RE A REALLY COOL BIRD THAT LIVES HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THAT YOU ARE FREQUENTLY SEEN IN PASTURES.
AND THEY ALSO LIKE TWO OR THREE YEAR POST CLEAR CUT AREAS, EARLY SHRUBS, SCRUB HABITAT.
BUT HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WE ALSO SEE THEM IN SOME OF THIS OPEN PINE SAVANNA.
AND YOU SEND THEM HERE, RIGHT? YES.
WE HAVE SEEN SOME HERE RIGHT BEHIND US.
SO OF OUR HEAD STRIDES HAVE A REALLY COOL NATURAL HISTORY.
WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, I ACTUALLY FOUND A SIX LINE RACE RUNNER, REALLY COOL LIZARD.
AND IT WAS IMPALED ON A BARBED WIRE FENCE.
AND AT FIRST I WAS LIKE, WHO COULD HAVE DONE THIS TO THIS LIZARD? I DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT IT WAS A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE THAT HAD STUCK THAT THING ON THE YES, YES.
THERE, THEIR FEEDING STRATEGY IS REALLY AMAZING.
SO WHAT THEY'LL DO IS THEY WILL CAPTURE SMALL THINGS LIKE SMALL MAMMALS, SMALL BIRDS, FROGS INSECTS, AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY, THEY COLLECT THEM IN THEIR STRONG BEAK AND THEN THEY'LL HIT THEM AGAINST HARD OBJECTS, LIKE A TREE OR A WALL, OR THEY WILL TAKE IT AND THEY WILL PIERCE IT WITH A BARBED WIRE FENCE OR A HAWTHORN IN ORDER TO KILL THEIR PREY SO THEY CAN EAT IT.
SO BUTCHERBIRD IS AN APPROPRIATE NAME.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE CALLED A BUTCHERBIRD.
IT'S REALLY, IT'S A REALLY UNIQUE AND INTERESTING PART OF THEIR NATURAL.
SO MOST PEOPLE HAVE NEVER SEEN A SHRIKE OR THEIR NUMBERS DECLINING.
THEIR NUMBERS HAVE DECLINED OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASONS WE'RE DOING THIS RESEARCH.
THIS IS A RESEARCH PROJECT THAT GETS IT'S IN CANADA ALL THE WAY DOWN, UH, THROUGH THE SOUTHERN SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE U S SO THIS IS PART OF OUR LARGE REGIONAL PROJECT AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO CATCH BIRDS.
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO CATCH ONE? THAT'S WHAT I'M.
SO, YEAH, SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO FIND THEM, AND THEN WE HAVE SOME TRAPS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SET OUT AND HOPEFULLY THE BIRD WILL FLY RIGHT IN, AND THEN WE'LL CATCH THEM AND TAKE SOME MEASUREMENTS AND PUT SOME BANDS ON CAN YOU HEAR ME? I THINK THERE'S A BIRD RIGHT NEXT TO THE CAGE.
I'M JUST EXCITED ABOUT SEEING WHEN UP CLOSE.
I'VE SEEN THEM IN THE FIELD, A BUNCH FROM A LONG DISTANCE, BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY COOL.
I LOVE THAT COOL BAND THROUGH THE EYE.
IS IT A MALE OR FEMALE? CAN YOU TELL PRETTY IT'S KIND OF TOUGH.
THIS TIME OF YEAR, IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY HARD.
UM, DURING THE BREEDING SEASON, UM, THE FEMALES WILL HAVE A BROOD PATCH TO INCUBATE THE EGGS.
I CAN JUST BLOW ON THE BELLY AND IT'D BE IN THERE.
YOU COULD SEE THE BELLY THROUGH THE FEATHERS.
I NOTICE IT'S NIPPING YOU A LITTLE BIT.
SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE'RE GOING TO, I'M GOING TO DO IS PUT IT IN A LITTLE TOILET PAPER ROLL TOO, SO THAT IT DOESN'T DO THAT.
IN THIS, THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM IN THERE.
WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION YOU NEED TO GET FROM IT? WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME INFORMATION ON THE AGE.
OH, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SOME MORPHOLOGICAL MEASUREMENTS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SOME MEASUREMENTS OF THE LEGS AND THE WINGS, UM, TO TRY AND GET AN IDEA OF, UH, THE BODY CONDITION.
WE ARE GOING TO PUT SOME COLOR BANDS, A UNIQUE SET OF COLOR BANDS ON THESE LEGS AND THE LEGS OF THIS BIRD.
SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHICH INDIVIDUAL THIS IS WHEN WE SEE IT AGAIN.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO PUT AN ALUMINUM BAND ON THE LEG WITH A UNIQUE NUMBER ON IT.
AND SO YOU HOPE TO GET A RECAPTURE OF THIS BIRD, RIGHT? YOU HOPE TO SEE IT AGAIN? I HOPE TO SEE IT AGAIN.
SO I'M IN THE BREEDING SEASON.
WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK OUT HERE TO SEE IF IT'S STILL HERE AND TO SEE IF IT HAS A TERRITORY IN A NEST.
UM, IF YOU COULD SEE THE COLOR BANDS, THEY WRAP AROUND THE LEG
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A FEW TIMES, UM, WHEN WE DO THAT, BECAUSE THE STRIKES ARE REALLY, REALLY SKILLED, UH, WITH THEIR MOUTH.SO THEY'RE VERY, VERY GOOD AT PREYING OFF COLOR BANDS.
EACH BIRD IS GOING TO HAVE A DARK GREEN ON IT BECAUSE THAT IS FOR OUR STATE, OUR STATE COLOR.
HOWEVER, THE TWO COLORS ON THE OTHER LEG ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR EACH BIRD.
UM, AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO KNOW WHICH INDIVIDUAL THIS IS.
SO ON THIS BIRD, WE HAVE A LIGHT BLUE AND A WHITE BAND, RIGHT? SO THESE GUYS ARE YEAR ROUND RESIDENTS, BUT THE, HOW FAR DID THEY MOVE? THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT.
UM, WE KIND OF THE GENERAL THOUGHT IS THAT, UH, MANY OF OUR SHRIKES ARE YEAR-ROUND RESIDENTS RECITING.
THESE BIRDS WILL HELP US KNOW.
UM, ARE THEY TRULY RESIDENT? ARE THEY SHORT DISTANCE MIGRANTS? MAYBE THEY JUST MOVE AROUND IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, MAYBE THEY JUST MOVED TO DIFFERENT PLACE ON NEMOURS.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE COLLECTING SOME FEATHERS SAMPLES MATERIAL FOR, YEAH.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS AND HOPEFULLY SOME TRACE ELEMENTS FROM THESE DIFFERENT FEATHERS.
SO KNOW, ESSENTIALLY YOU HAVE THIS BIRD IN YOUR HAND.
IT'S, IT'S NEAT TO JUST LOOK AT SOME OF THE FEATURES THAT HELP IT TO DO WHAT IT DOES.
AND I NOTICED THAT I NOTICED THE BEAK AND THE FEET AND, UH, BOY, THE COLORATION IS JUST FABULOUS.
AND SO IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN SEE ON THE BEAT AND HOW IT KEEPS ON BITING ME AND IT HAS SOME HOOKS ON IT AND, UM, THIS SPECIES, WHAT THEY TYPICALLY, UM, EAT LIVE PREY AND THEY USE THAT BEAK TO HAVE A TIGHT GRIP ON THEIR YEAH.
LIKE A RAPTOR TO, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT A RAPTOR TO TEAR THINGS APART.
DO THEY USE THE FEED AT ALL FOR CAPTURING? NO, THEY DON'T HAVE THE STRONG TALENTS, LIKE A, LIKE A HAWK OR AN EAGLE.
THEY, THEY ARE VERY RELIANT ON MORE OF THEIR BEAKS.
SO WE'RE FINISHED PROCESSING THIS BIRD SO WE CAN TAKE IT OUT INTO THE FIELD AND RELEASE IT NOW.
SO, UH, CAN I DO THE HONORS? SURE.
SO I'M GOING TO TAKE HIM RIGHT.
I SAW YOU GET BIT A WHOLE BUNCH OF IT'S GOOD.
IT'S MORE FUNNY WHEN YOU GET THAT, THEN WHAT I GET THAT.
SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS JUST KIND OF HOLDING BACK THIS AND LET HIM GO, JUST KEEP YOUR HAND ON HER.
WELL HERE GOES, IT LOOKS GOOD.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US JOIN YOUR RESEARCH TODAY.
AND I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR BIRDS LIKE SHRIKES AND, AND OTHER SPECIES.
SO WE WERE DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD AND WE TOLD SOME KIND OF RUCKUS IS CLUSTERED AND THERE'S A RED TAIL HAWK, RIGHT IN HERE.
IT KEEPS CLIMBING ON THE TOP OF THIS, THIS BUILDING, THESE RUINS, AND THEN JUMPING BACK DOWN INTO THE, THIS MUSTARD.
AND HE'S OBVIOUSLY HUNTING SOMETHING.
I ASSUME IT'S A SMALL MAMMAL OR A SNAKE.
WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, BUT HE'S REALLY BOUNCING AROUND IN THERE TOO.
AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VORACIOUS PREDATORS AND THEY EAT SNAKES, SMALL MAMMALS, SQUIRRELS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT HE DOES HERE.
NOT TO COMPLICATE THINGS EVEN FURTHER.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF CROWS THAT ARE FLYING AROUND IT PROBABLY SCARING OFF WHAT HE'S TRYING TO CATCH, BUT CROWS ARE PRETTY ROUGH ON RAPTORS.
I MEAN, THEY DON'T LIKE RAPTORS AROUND.
AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO CALL AND TRY AND RUN OFF BIRDS LIKE THIS SNAKE.
AND SO MAYBE WE CAN SEE THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
SO WE, WE NOW FIGURED OUT WHAT IS CHASING AROUND.
SO A RAT SNAKE, ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO SEE IF WE CAN FIND YOU GUYS.
THAT THING WAS THREE AND A HALF, FOUR FEET LONG.
HE'S ACTUALLY EATING THE SNAKE.
I CAN SEE AS HIS MOUTH MOVING, OBVIOUSLY HE CAN'T SWALLOW THIS THING.
SO, WHAT HE'S DOING IS RIP IT INTO LITTLE STRIPS SO THAT HE CAN GO UP AND DOWN SO THE HAWK FLEW OFF WITH THE SNAKE.
HE'S ACTUALLY PURCHASING THIS TREE OVER HERE.
YOU CAN SEE THE SNAKE KIND OF HANGING DOWN, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAD TO LET HIM FINISH HIS SNAKE IN PEACE, BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, YOU RARELY GET TO SEE THINGS LIKE THIS IN DETROIT.
CHRIS IS GOING TO SHOW US A REALLY COMMON, BUT REALLY SECRETIVE ANIMAL THAT LIVES RIGHT HERE IN THE SALTMARSH, AND WE'RE GOING TO STAY LOW.
CLAPPER RAIL IS AN AMAZING ANIMAL THAT BLENDS IN
[00:10:01]
WE'RE IN A SPECIAL PLACE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY TERRITORIES HERE.WE'VE GOT SOME BACKGROUND, I'VE HEARD SOME CON, BUT I ALSO HEAR THE DEN OF, UH, PARIS ISLAND.
IT SHOWS THAT EVEN THE BIRD SECRET, IF IT CAN LIVE CLOSE TO PEOPLE AND PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW IT.
AND OBVIOUSLY THESE BIRDS ARE USED TO IT.
AND JUST ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO USE THE PLAYBACK TO SEE WHAT WE CAN GET.
AND THIS IS THE SOUND OF A CLAPPER RAIL RIGHT HERE.
SO WE'LL SEE IF ONE WALKS UP, BUT TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS BIRD.
IT'S A BIRD OF THE SALT MARSH AND IT GETS ITS NAME CLAPPER RAIL BECAUSE OF THE SOUND.
IT MAKES MATTER OF FACT, OFTEN WHEN THEY, IF YOU PARTICULARLY IN THE WINTER TIME, OR SOMETIMES YOU CLAP YOUR HANDS FOR LOUD AND IT'LL GET THEM TO RESPOND SORTA LIKE WHEN YOU PUT THAT, LISTEN, IT WORKS BETTER IN THE WINTER THAN THE BREEDING KIDS.
DEFINITELY I'VE SEEN IT WORK BEFORE.
SO, SO HENCE THE NAME, UH, IS A BIRD HAS A LOT OF PREDATORS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT SALTMARSH AS FAR AS BEING A MAJOR PREDATOR ITSELF THAT LOOK IN VERTEBRATES AND IT'S MIGRATORY FOR SOME AREAS, BUT WE'RE SO MILD HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, OUR BIRDS ARE NOT MIGRATORY.
NO CLAPPER RAILS ARE COMMON, BUT HARD TO SEE, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
IF YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF PREDATORS, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE SECRETIVE.
EVERYTHING ABOUT THE BIRD IS DESIGNED TO KEEP IT FROM BEING SEEN, RIGHT? AND THE TERM RAIL THIN COMES FROM THE FACT THAT THEY ARE VERY SLENDER FROM SIDE TO SIDE, SO THEY CAN MOVE THROUGH THE GRASS AND TO THE, IN THIS CASE, THE SPARTINA GRASS, WITHOUT A TON OF GRASS AND THEY FEED PRIMARILY ON CRABS AND SHRIMP IS ADULT THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THEY ALSO FEED ON FISH AS WELL.
THERE'S EVEN ONE INSTANCE OF THE CLAPPER RAIL RUNNING OUT AND GRABBING A LEECH SANDPIPER AND RUN RUNNING BACK INTO THE GRASS.
SO THEY'RE VERY OPPORTUNISTIC.
WELL, I DON'T SEE ANY AROUND HERE THAT YOU WANT TO MOVE TO ANOTHER SPOT.
THIS IS AN AREA WHERE THEY THROUGH AND THERE'S SOME DEEPER GRASS, BUT I KNOW AN AREA WHERE IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE PLACE.
I THINK THEY'RE NESTING AND THEY'RE NESTING RIGHT NOW.
THERE MIGHT EVEN BE SOME CHICKS.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO GIVE IT A TRY.
UM, I SEE WHEN THERE'S ONE OVER THERE, DON'T MOVE.
LOOK AT THE STRIPES ON THE SIDE OF THE BODY, BECAUSE THAT SHOWS THAT THEY'RE ADAPTED FOR LIVING IN GRASS.
BY HAVING THOSE VERTICAL STRIPES, IT HELPS BREAK UP THE SHAPE OF THE BIRD.
LOOK AT THE BILL AND THE BILL SLIGHTLY CURVED.
NOW LOOK, THEY SWIM ALL OF A SUDDEN.
AND THEY USE THAT FOR GETTING, THEY LOVE FIDDLER CRABS, LIKE MOST THINGS IN THE SALT MARSH.
AND THEY ALSO THEY'RE REALLY CALLING THE WHITE.
SHE WAS THIS ANNOUNCING THIS, THIS IS THEIR TERRITORY.
AND, AND BECAUSE WE DID THE PLAYBACK, UH, THEY, THEY KNOW THAT ANOTHER CLAPPER RAIL OR THEY THINK IN OTHER COLLABORATORS IN THEIR TERRITORY, AND THIS IS THE SONG WE'RE GONNA PLAY THE CALL.
THE NEAT THING ABOUT BEING IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS THAT WE HAVE CLAPPER RAILS THAT BREED, BUT IN THE WINTER TIME, ALL THE BIRDS THAT ARE TO THE NORTH OF US, THE CLAPPER RAILS THAT NEST UP IN VIRGINIA, UP THROUGH NEW ENGLAND, COME DOWN HERE AND SPEND THE WINTER WITH US.
SO THAT'S THE OTHER TIME WE'LL SEE THEM.
LOOK, WE'VE GOT TWO PARENTS WITH CHICKS.
AND THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE CAME BEFORE.
SO I HAVE AT LEAST FOUR, UM, THE CLAPPER RAILS HAVE A BROOD.
USUALLY THEY WILL LAY AN AVERAGE OF 10 EGGS IN A NEST.
AND THE NEST IS A PLATFORM THAT KEEPS THE EGGS OUT OF THE WATER DURING THE HIGH TIDES.
AND THEY'VE DOCUMENTED THAT CLAPPER VIA RAIL EGGS CAN ACTUALLY BE SUBMERGED BY HOT, HOT, AND STILL HATCH.
SO THEY AMAZING FOR A WHOLE TITLE CYCLE FOR A WHOLE TITLE CYCLE, LOOKING AT THESE CHICKS, BY THE WAY, THESE CHICKS ARE AT LEAST A WEEK OLD.
SO WE, YEAH, WE THINK THESE CHICKS ARE ABOUT A WEEK OLD.
SO WE MOVED A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, CHRIS.
I HATE, I CAN'T, IT'S HARD TO NOT POINT.
I KNOW IT'S REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT.
ONE HAS SOME BLOOD ON IT TO BEAT.
SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S BEEN PROBING FOR GRABS.
THAT'S WHAT WE THOUGHT WE RUSH.
NOW THE COOL THING ABOUT THESE CHICKS IS THEY'RE LIKE LITTLE CHICKENS.
THEY'RE WHAT WE CALL PRECOCIAL WHEN THE EGGS HATCH THEY'RE FULLY FEATHERED AND WITHIN AN HOUR AND THEY CAN LEAVE THE NEST.
AND SO THE PARENTS STAY WITH THEM AND WARN THEM ABOUT PREDATORS.
THERE'S TWO CHIPS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.
YOU'RE LOOKING AROUND, YOU CAN HAVE IT RIGHT IN THE GRASS RIGHT NEXT TO YOU.
IT'S AN EASY BIRD TO OVER LOOK UNLESS
[00:15:01]
YOU KNOW WHAT THE SOUND IS LIKE.AND WE JUST ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO BE HERE AT A TIME WHEN THERE ARE A LOT MORE VISIBLE BECAUSE IT'S THE BREEDING SEASON AND THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF CHICKS.
AND THIS IS A UNIQUE PLACE WHERE WE CAN BE SECRETIVE AND ENTER THE BIRDS WORLD.
UM, AND LET THEM, THEY LET US GET CLOSER AGAIN.
WELL, CHRIS, I CAN SAFELY SAY THAT'S THE CLOSEST I'VE EVER BEEN TO A CLAPPER RAIL.
I APPRECIATE YOU SPENDING THE DAY WITH US AND TAKING US DOWN.
WELL, IT WAS GREAT TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WITH YOU.
WE NEED TO DO THIS MORE OFTEN.
WE'RE GOING TO CAPTURE AND BAND ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BIRDS IN THE LOW COUNTRY AND LEGS GLOVER FROM SOUTH COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES HAS BEEN STUDYING THESE BIRDS FOR 20 YEARS.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS LEGS, CAUSE I'VE NEVER SEEN A BALTIMORE ORIOLE IN THE WILD WELL, GOOD DEAL.
WE HOPE THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE TODAY.
WELL, HOW MANY, HOW MANY OF YOU CAUGHT, UM, I PROBABLY HAVE, UH, TRAPPED IN BANDED ABOUT 1400.
YOU SO YOU'RE A LITTLE AHEAD OF ME A LITTLE BIT.
SO LIKES, I'VE SEEN THESE BIRDS AND FIELD GUIDES AND THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL, BUT CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT COLORATION IN SIZE? UM, YES.
THESE BIRDS ARE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A CARDINAL OR A REDWING BLACKBIRD AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY A MEMBER OF THE BLACKBIRD FAMILY.
SO THEY'VE GOT THAT NICE LONG POINTED BILL, UH, THE MALES OR A BRILLIANT ORANGE UNDERNEATH AND THEY HAVE BLACK ON TOP.
THEIR HEADS ARE BLACK, THEIR WINGS ARE BLACK.
SO IT'S A VERY STRIKING COLOR.
IF YOU SEE IT, YOU KNOW, UP IN A TREE SOMEWHERE.
WELL, WHAT'S REALLY NEAT ABOUT THIS.
AND SO THIS IS IMPORTANT HABITAT FOR THESE BIRDS, RIGHT? IT IS A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT THINK OF IT LIKE THAT, BUT I HAVE A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS THAT APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE COME OUT AND STUDY THESE BIRDS THAT THEY FEED OR HAVING THEIR BACKYARD.
THEY LIKED THE IDEA THAT THEIR BACKYARD IS NOW PART OF A BIGGER PICTURE.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, BEFORE WE TALKED ABOUT DOING THE SEGMENT, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW BALTIMORE ORIOLES SHOWED UP IN SOUTH KOREA.
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN AROUND ALL THAT LONG.
I THINK IT WAS BACK IN THE 1940S THAT THE BIRDS WERE FIRST NOTED WINTERING IN THE STATE.
THEY ARE NOT, THEY, UH, THEY'RE A WINTER RESIDENT FOR US.
SO YOU HAVE A, REALLY AN INGENIOUS TRAP FOR CATCHING THESE AND I I'M FASCINATED BY THIS CAUSE I LOVE TRAPS.
SO CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE SURE.
I JUST HAPPENED TO TAKE A, UH, A SEED FEEDER TRAP AND BASICALLY IT WORKS LIKE A FISH OR A CRAB TRAP.
THE BIRDS GO IN AND THEY CAN'T QUITE SEE HOW TO GET OUT.
GRAPE JELLY, HUH? GRAPE JELLY.
THAT'S ONE OF THEIR FAVORITE BACKYARD BIRD FOODS.
I'M NOT SURE WHO DECIDED TO OFFER GREAT JELLY TO TWO BIRDS OR WHAT BIRD DECIDED TO TASTE IT.
BUT IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE SUGAR WATER THAT THE HUMMINGBIRDS FEED ON.
BUT WHAT WOULD THEY NORMALLY BE FEEDING THEY'RE FEEDING HEAVILY ON INSECTS? WELL, WE STILL HAVE A SIZEABLE POPULATION OF INSECTS THROUGHOUT THE WINTER.
WELL, I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I LIKE LOOKING AT BIRDS THROUGH BINOCULARS, BUT IT'S EVEN MORE FUN TO THINK ABOUT CATCHING ONE AND HOLDING IT IN YOUR HANDS.
THERE'S AN ORIEL SITTING IN A TREE RIGHT HERE.
HE'S GOING TO COME TO THIS GRAPE JELLY.
SO WE'LL JUST STEP BACK AND LET THE BIRDS COME IN.
SO LEX, WE'RE GOING TO BEAT AROUND THE CORNER AND WE HEAR SOME CHATTERING HERE.
SOME CHAIRMANS IN THERE COULD BE A BIRD IN THE TRAP.
IF YOU GO GET THE TRAP, I'LL GET, OH MY GOSH.
WE'VE GOT QUITE A FEW, A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM.
DID WE GET THE WHOLE FLOCK ON? MIGHT HAVE A C OKAY.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GRAB ONE OF THESE BIRDS AND I'LL USE THAT GRIP.
HE TAUGHT ME AND LET'S JUST REAL QUICK.
SO THIS ISN'T, THIS IS A FEMALE, ISN'T IT? WE'LL WE'LL SEE.
IT'S IT'S LIKELY A FEMALE WHERE IT COULD BE AN IMMATURE MALE.
EVEN THE FEMALES OF THIS SPECIES ARE VERY BRIGHTLY COLORED.
AND I SEE THAT CLASSIC BLACKBIRD BILL.
I IMAGINE THEY CAN POKE YOU PRETTY GOOD WITH THIS, RIGHT.
SO HE NEEDS TO GO IN THE BOX, RIGHT? I WON'T GO IN THIS ONE RIGHT HERE.
THIS IS A REALLY INGENIOUS LITTLE BOX FOR KEEPING THEM.
WE'LL LOOK AT THE COLORATION ON THAT.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE CALL AN AFTER SECOND YEAR BIRD.
THAT MEANS THIS BIRD IS AT LEAST TWO YEARS OLD BECAUSE IT TAKES TWO YEARS FOR THEM TO BECOME AN ADULT.
HOW LONG DO THESE BIRDS LIVE? MOST OF OUR SONGBIRDS WILL LIVE ON
[00:20:01]
AVERAGE OF FIVE.YOU KNOW, LIKES, I LIKE LOOKING AT BIRDS THROUGH BINOCULARS, BUT THIS IS MY KIND OF BURDEN RIGHT HERE IN THE HAND.
SO THE FIRST THING WE WANT TO DO IS GET THE, UH, THE BAND ON THE BIRD AND THESE BANDS ARE, ARE LIGHTWEIGHT AND MADE OUT OF ALUMINUM.
AS YOU KNOW, OUR WILD BIRDS ARE PROTECTED FEDERAL AND STATE LAW.
SO YOU HAVE TO BE PERMITTED IN ORDER TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK WITH A WILD BIRD.
WE'RE GOING TO CHECK FOR FAT, NO FAT.
WE'RE GOING TO MEASURE THE WING.
BIRD HAS TO STAND ON HIS HEAD FOR JUST A SECOND.
THAT'S A VERY GOOD WAY TO WEIGH IT.
BECAUSE AGAIN, IT KEEPS THE BIRD DARK LOOKS CALM.
SO WE'RE ABOUT TO LET THIS GUY GO.
SO WHERE WILL THIS PERSON GO FROM HERE? UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE BANDING THESE BIRDS IS WE WANT TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GO.
WHERE DID THEY COME FROM? UM, WHERE, WHERE DO THEY GO TO BREED? UM, I HAVE GOTTEN ONE BAND RECOVERY SINCE I'VE BEEN BANDING.
THESE BIRDS, A BIRD THAT I BANDED IN MYRTLE BEACH TWO YEARS LATER SHOWED UP IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.
AND THAT, SO IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS WHOLE EQUATION.
IT IS IN FACT, THE LAST THREE YEARS THROUGH OUR SURVEY WORK, UM, WE'VE HAD MORE WINTERING BALTIMORE ORIOLES IN OUR STATE THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE COUNTRY.
ALL RIGHT, TONY, YOU WANT TO LET THIS ONE GO? OKAY.
PARTYING COUPLE OF PARTYING BITES.
I'LL TELL YOU, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN FROM THIS.
THIS SEGMENT IS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT TO KNOW HOW CAN THEY ATTRACT BALTIMORE ORIOLES TO THEIR YARDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA? SO IT'S A TRICK TO THAT TRICK IS TO PUT OUT JELLY, PUT OUT A LITTLE CONTAINER OF JELLY AND SEE WHAT YOU GET.
NOT ONLY DO BALTIMORE ORIOLES FEED ON JELLY, BUT OTHER SPECIES OF BIRDS WILL ALSO FEED ON IT AGAIN.
IT'S LIKE A, A HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER.
I'M GOING TO CUT 18 BALTIMORE ORIOLES AND I SURE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
THE WORK THAT SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IS DOING.
I WITNESSED SOMETHING YESTERDAY THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO SEE.
LET'S GO SEE IF THEY'RE STILL THERE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE STILL HERE.
IF YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK RIGHT HERE, THERE'S HERE ARE THE SPOONBILLS THEY'RE HERE.
THERE ARE A WHOLE BUNCH OF MY 40 50 BIRDS MAYBE.
AND THIS IS REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS, IT STARTED WITH NINE AND THAT WAS 26 AND NOW IT'S 40 OR 50.
SO SOMEHOW THE WORD IS GETTING OUT THAT THIS IS A GREAT SPOT TO FEED AND THE BIRDS SEEM TO KNOW.
AND I SEE YOUNG BIRDS, WHICH ARE MUCH, MUCH LIGHTER.
AND I ALSO SEE WHAT LOOKS LIKE SOME SLIGHTLY MORE MATURE BIRDS, WHICH HAVE MORE PINK AND SOME BRIGHT PINK SPLOTCHES ON THE WINGS.
NOW THIS COLORATION IS DERIVED FROM CAROTINOIDS AND THOSE ARE, UH, FROM WHAT THEY EAT.
I SEE SOME GREAT E-CIGARETTES IN THERE LOOKS LIKE A GREAT BLUE HERON AND SOME TRI-COLORED HERONS TOO.
SO SPOONBILLS WILL OFTEN FEED WITH OTHER SPECIES IBIS AND HERONS AND EGRETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT CAN ALSO SEE SOME WOOD STORKS COMING IN TOO.
NOW ALL THESE ANIMALS ARE HERE CAN BE, CAUSE THE WATER LEVEL HAS BEEN LOWERED IN THIS IMPOUNDMENT.
AND THERE'S A LOT TO EAT HERE.
THINGS THAT SPOONBILLS LIKE TO EAT INCLUDE SHRIMP, CRABS, UH, EVEN SMALL FISH.
AND THEY'VE GOT THESE WONDERFUL BILLS THAT THEY CAN WAVE BACK AND FORTH SIDE TO SIDE.
THEY'VE GOT THEM SLIGHTLY OPEN.
YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY'RE FEEDING.
THEY'RE FEEDING IN SILT AND SORT OF MUCKY AREAS.
AND THEY HAVE TO USE THAT SPECIALIZED BILL TO FIND THE LITTLE CRUSTACEANS AND SHRIMP AND THINGS TO, TO EAT.
NOW THEY ARE VERY SENSITIVE NERVE
[00:25:01]
ENDINGS IN THE BILL SO THEY CAN MOVE IT BACK AND FORTH.AND WHEN THEY FEEL SOMETHING, THEY CLOSE THE BILL, STRAIGHTEN UP THE SILT AND GET THE CRAB OR SHRIMP OR SMALL FISH, JUST A VERY, VERY SPECIALIZED FEEDING APPARATUS.
OF COURSE THE WOOD STORKS ARE FEEDING SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY.
IF THEY FEEL SOMETHING, THEY SNAP THE BILL SHUT PRETTY QUICKLY.
NOW THE OTHER THING IS KIND OF INTERESTING IS NOT ONLY ARE THE BIRDS FEEDING HERE, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF FISH FEEDING.
SO THIS, YOU KNOW, THE FISH ARE FEEDING ON THE SAME CRABS AND TRIPS AND THINGS THAT THE BIRDS ARE.
AND SO OCCASIONALLY YOU'LL SEE A SPLASH OF A VERY LIKELY A RED DRUM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I JUST ABSOLUTELY LOVE SPOONBILLS NOW MALES AND FEMALES LOOK SIMILAR ALMOST EXACTLY ALIKE.
SPOONBILLS HAVE A WINGSPAN OF ABOUT FOUR FEET LONG.
THEY WERE TWO AND A HALF TO FIVE POUNDS SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
SPOONBILLS, DON'T REALLY NEST IN THE LOW COUNTRY, UH, PRIMARILY FLORIDA AND THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA, CARIBBEAN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.
BUT WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THEM AROUND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS, BUT I THINK IT'D BE PRETTY COOL IF THEY'D NESTED RIGHT HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
THANKS FOR JOINING US ON COASTAL KINGDOM.