18 warblers a-gleaming

Since the warbler theme seemed popular – I thought it might be worth posting a photographic study of their acrobatic feeding habits… So here, courtesy of 3 species, is a look at the agility and grace of the gleaning foraging style ( I think the birds themselves are a-gleaming), i.e. plucking food items from foliage. I can’t say I’ve gone through these twists and turns for my supper recently…

Firstly a Magnolia Warbler shows off the lunge and pluck technique…




Next, Nashville Warblers show off their style, cleaning off the underside of leaves...

They don’t mind twisting around to get “down under” the leaves either…

And even sometimes pull of the mid-air catch!

Tennessee Warblers are just as agile in their feeding strategies. They also find good pickings on the underside of leaves...

Or the upperside if there's a meal going cheap...

And they will lunge at food from any angle...

Including the upside-down approach...

Or even the cartwheel approach...

Apparently, they're not afraid of a getting stung either!

All in a day's work for a warbler with a long migration ahead of them!