THE MATING BEHAVIOUR OF THE ARENA KINGFISHER

The Arena Kingfisher, also known as the Crimson-Crested Kingfisher.
Chest feathers of the female match the crest-hue of the male. The male crest consists of a flaring crown that starts above the beak.
Native names: BUGONG TALIPIYANG, TIWIPANG


Complex instinctive behaviours coupled with a broad range of emotional responses.


GENERAL PREPARATORY BEHAVIOUR:
Female devotes attention to self-preening, displays rump with tail-feathers closed. Attends to mating arena by manipulating the shrubbery and grass with her beak. Shows her readiness to mate by strutting and pausing, while looking from side to side every few paces.



STAGE ONE: ACQUAINTING:
Male and female circle each other at a distance while miming feeding with their beaks, and making clawing motions on the ground of the arena.

STAGE TWO: MALE EXHIBIT:
The male perches on nearby branches, moving from one to another, while craning and arching neck, flaring neck and shoulder feathers, and deliberately looking away from the female.

STAGE THREE: APPROACH:
Both birds approach each other, moving in a circling advance around the edges of the arena, familiarizing themselves with the place, and with each other. During this process, they often face each other briefly.

STAGE FOUR: FLIRTATION:
The two birds move heads in synchronization. The female keeps her head lower, on level with his neck, while looking up. She responds to his craning motions with upward nudges.

STAGE FIVE: MUTUAL PREENING:
The classic display of comfort-level affirmation, with mutual neck nudging and rubbing motions along the feathers of the partner. Both birds engage in this.



NOTE: A couple at the bar a few days ago displayed a remarkable approximation of this, going through all the stages up to and including the mutual preening. Then they left. Consequently, describing what happens next is rather pointless.