Thursday, May 7, 2009

Do eagles mate in the air?


Answers:
I actually saw bald eagles mate. They were on a branch in a tree.
that would be fun!
I don't think so, but they do have courtship flights.
No.

Crash and burn.
I heard they do... they have to get really high first, and then they get together, spin around really fast, in a downward spiral fall, while doing so. what a way to...fly.
Yes, they do. You can look it up on line for all the details.
It is physically impossible for any species of bird to mate in the air. Birds always mate on a solid surface which can be the ground, in a tree, or wherever they like to perch.

The mating starts when the female signals that she is ready, by making a particular sound or movement that is usual for that species. I have a senegal parrot female who makes a huffing noise and starts to slowly spin around when she wants to mate. Also, the female will usually lower her wings to protect them, because the act of mating can injure them.

Next, the male will climb on the female's back. This sounds painful, but the female is strong enough to hold the male's weight. To keep from falling off, the male will clamp onto her feathers with his beak and feet. Again, this rarely injures the female.

Next, the male will rub the bottom of his tail against the bottom of the female's tail. Both male and female have a small opening called a vent which is where they excrete and also where their sex organs are located. When they are both stimulated, the male will emit an amount of semen which goes into the female's vent and hopefully will impregnate her.

The process usually lasts only a few minutes, depending on the species, before the male climbs down. For species that mate for life, this might be a bonding moment that keeps them together.

Some species have been seen to "play" in the air together. For example, crows and ravens have been seen clasping their feet together in midair, as they twirl around and finally separate. No one knows exactly why they do this, but it could just be a form of playing or reinforcing their attachment for each other. It is possible that this activity has inspired the myth that some birds mate in the air.

Many bird species are very intelligent and social animals. Play is an important way to establish a hierarchy, practice skills like hunting and escaping danger, and to keep family ties strong.

Below is a link to an about.com article about the romantic lives of birds. I also threw in an article about birds playing which looked interesting.
It's actually the courtship that takes place in the air, not the mating itself.

"The male mounts the back of the female, standing on her back while on a limb or the nest."

For more information try:
http://www.eagles.org/vueaglewebcs/bio_r...
Yes they do and I have seen this on Animal Planet shows. . .looks very dangerous as the hen is hanging upside down.
I don't remember the breed of eagles
eeehhhhmmmmmmmm. N O.

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