jtval 0 #1 March 19, 2008 I totally forgot to ask this because I saw it when I was traveling. Has anyone ever seen a bird "back flying?" Here's what I saw. A crow was flying around when I was in Moab , Arches Nat'l park. It wasn't on its back flapping its wings but it WAS flying then, when it got lift it would flip to its back momentarily. I thought it was an illusion at first but I watched it for probably three minutes. It kept flying around the same area and doing the same thing. I got close enough to see that it was no illusion. The bird was trying to back fly. It wasn't doing very well. I mean, it would flip over, and lose all lift and flip over again an a very short time. No, I DID NOT take any hallucinogens but I DID think of Jonathan Livingston Seagull. I've seen some funny wildlife events in my life but that was just odd.My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
highfly 0 #2 March 19, 2008 Ever seen tumbling pigeons? That really done my head when I seen them for the first time. I thought they were falling out of the sky but in fact they were just showing off to their mates. www.myspace.com/durtymac Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #3 March 19, 2008 No. Do they actually do that? This crow was alone. I guess it was practicing for when it is flying with its buddies. I've seen two sparrows fly head first into each other in my backyard. It sounded as if two people who were on opposite sides of the yard threww two walnuts at each other. And I've seen a squirrel fall out of a tree in the same back yard. It was wierd and funny both times. I wouldn't have even said anything if someone wasn't there to witness it with me.My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #4 March 19, 2008 Did you know that bald eagles do baton passes and 2-ways? It's true!quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #5 March 19, 2008 Quote Did you know that bald eagles do baton passes and 2-ways? It's true! Im serious about the backflying crow. It was wierd. Maybe it was dying or ill, kinda like when a Fish goes belly upBut really, I did see it.My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billeisele 130 #6 March 19, 2008 Quote Quote Did you know that bald eagles do baton passes and 2-ways? It's true! Im serious about the backflying crow. It was wierd. Maybe it was dying or ill, kinda like when a Fish goes belly upBut really, I did see it. how do you think they mate in the air? somebody has to be on the bottomGive one city to the thugs so they can all live together. I vote for Chicago where they have strict gun laws. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJL 235 #7 March 19, 2008 Quote Quote Did you know that bald eagles do baton passes and 2-ways? It's true! Im serious about the backflying crow. It was wierd. Maybe it was dying or ill, kinda like when a Fish goes belly upBut really, I did see it. Are you sure they were backflying? It could have been backmonauti."I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Misternatural 0 #8 March 19, 2008 I know what you mean-i watch crows and ravens all the time when I m in the woods, they are very acrobatic especially when they chase birds of prey out of their territory,flips, dives, rolls. Also they are very intelligent and social, they use teamwork,play, feed each other and collect little shiny things to bring back to their nests.Beware of the collateralizing and monetization of your desires. D S #3.1415 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #9 March 19, 2008 Quote Quote Did you know that bald eagles do baton passes and 2-ways? It's true! Im serious about the backflying crow. It was wierd. Maybe it was dying or ill, kinda like when a Fish goes belly upBut really, I did see it. I'm serious about the baton pass and 2-ways! It's part of their mating rituals. They'll pass twigs back and forth and they'll also grab each other's talons. While they're in 2-way mode, they can't flap their wings so they're just falling and they'll sometimes take it pretty low before breakoff too.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lastchance 0 #10 March 19, 2008 Birds like to have fun also. It's not out of the ordinary. I see birds in my area doing all kinds of aerobatics. It's quite impressive. Wish I could fly like that. I may be getting old but I got to see all the cool bands. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 35 #11 March 19, 2008 What's funny is when they do that daredevil swoop in front of you while you're driving on the road. Not every bird who's done that to me has survived. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DangerRoo 0 #12 March 19, 2008 awh, too bad you cant hear their last words, they were just havin fun and showing off to the others (I.C.D#2 VP) "<3 ..Looks like breasts coming out of an ice cream cone. Mmmm."~John Mitchell "I'm good with my purple penis straw" ~sky mama Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 35 #13 March 19, 2008 Quote awh, too bad you cant hear their last words, they were just havin fun and showing off to the others "Hey chick, here, hold my beer and watch this!" (swoop) (THUD) "There goes another dumbass" "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DangerRoo 0 #14 March 19, 2008 yep thats what I was thinkin (I.C.D#2 VP) ""I'm good with my purple penis straw" ~sky mama Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #15 March 19, 2008 Mrnatural,Quade, lastchance. Thanks for letting me know I wasnt nuts. LOL I've seen lots of amazing agility from birds but the was the first time I'd seen the backflying attempt. and, yes, I guess is was more like BACKMONAUTI since it was falling at an angle. BV and Dangeroo, Yea, I always thought those fuckers who flew out in front of our cars were the daredevil birds. I can imagine other whuffobirds giving them grief. " I fly not to risk life, but to live it."My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
woodpecker 0 #16 March 20, 2008 After searching online for about 2 seconds I found this about ravens. The Common Raven is an acrobatic flier. It frequently is seen to make rolls and somersaults in the air. It has even been observed flying upside down for as far as one kilometer (0.62 mi). Apparently this is quite regular for the species. Sure would be cool to see in person though. Next time, pics. BillySONIC WOODY #146 There is a fine line between cockiness and confidence -- which side of the line are you on? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #17 March 20, 2008 Shit, if it was quite regular for the raven/crows why did it take 33 years to see it? My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #18 March 20, 2008 Quote Shit, if it was quite regular for the raven/crows why did it take 33 years to see it? It's like The Rockman says, "You see what you want to see and you hear what you want to hear." In other words, we all have certain basic expectations of how things are "supposed" to be, and our mind usually fills that into what we're only preferably paying attention to. It's the exact same reason why people shouldn't proofread their own written words, because they already know what it's "supposed" to say so they miss a lot of their own mistakes. My "guess" is over the course of your life you've actually seen it hundreds of times, but never paid any attention to it because your brain just filled in what it expected to see; the bird flying right side up.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #19 March 20, 2008 Quote I'm serious about the baton pass and 2-ways! It's part of their mating rituals. They'll pass twigs back and forth and they'll also grab each other's talons. While they're in 2-way mode, they can't flap their wings so they're just falling and they'll sometimes take it pretty low before breakoff too. Translation of the squawking: "Pretty radical, Johnny. Even for you. Why don't you flap!" "No games, Bodhi. Flap! Now!!" "Go on, Johnny. Flap! But you gotta drop the twig first! Right?!" "There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,090 #20 March 20, 2008 I watched a pair of red tailed hawks learn to barrel roll in the canyon near my office one day. They got to be pretty good at it, but it took them a long time to learn. Many bigger hawks will on occasion hunt air to air, and take out geese/pelicans/ducks and other less maneuverable birds. There's a very impressive sequence that shows this in the Planet Earth series of DVD's. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #21 March 20, 2008 I've been curious about the dvd collection "planet earth" I think once I get a place to live I'll go buy it, I've heard great things about it.My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #22 March 20, 2008 Planet Earth is great... watch it in High Def then its just jaw dropping.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
