Tajo Internacional (Natalio/M and Zica/F)

[marika.solo]

- 13:52:40 Natalio arrives, calling loudly



continuation:

- 13:53 calmed down, still observing the area (down)
- 13:54:54 calling
- guarding the nest - observing the area, resting

- 14:00 - very short preening
- 14:15:50 nest adjusting starts
- 14:16:28 pooping (few)
- guarding continuos

- it is windy, cloudy day - bill tucked into the feathers on his neck

[marika.solo]

- 14:46 Natalio moves deeper to the nest and preens



continuation

- 14:51 again observing the area, guarding the nest

- 15:05 rearranging the nest material (shortly)
- 15:06 resting in the nest centre

(maybe it is raining - I dont have sound)

[marika.solo]

- 15:52:40 Natalio starts calling, tail fanned out
- 15:53:06 Zica lands



continuation

- greeting ritual continues, bowing, N. settles
- Zica preens, N. gathering material around his body
- 15:54 N. up (15:54:53 pooping - a lot)



- Natalio - nest maintenance
- 15:55:48 both preens, very consequently

[marika.solo]

- 15:57:22 MATING

continuation
- preening (both)

- 16:03:26 MATING

- Z. preens, Natalio settles at 16:04:53
- Z. rests standing - N. sitting

- 16:28:11 N. yawns and up
- 16:28:44 MATING

16:28:55 Zica: after a successful mating (cloacal kiss) female is wiggling her tail to help the process

The shaking we see in the male after mating is actually a mechanical cleaning and muscle relaxation following the demanding act.
In the female, this "tail wiggling" is considered a confirmation of a successful transfer.

- 16:29:15 Z. pooping (again only few - very weak, thin stream)
- preening both
- N. nest maintenance (16:31:10 - shortly)
- preening, preening
-Zica rearranging the nest material (only few pieces)

[marika.solo]

- both resting, the wind seems to be stronger



- 16.56 both preening

- 16:57:50 MATING

- 16:58:25 N. settles, Z. preens him



- 17:00 Z. preens herself, 17:02 again him
- both resting - Zica staying, N. sitting

[marika.solo]

- Zica again preens Natalio
- N. at 17:19:48 up (17:20:25 pooping)
- N. moving the nest material (very shortly), Z. preening
- both preening



- 17:22:48 MATING
- 17:23:36 N. settles

btw. Storks don't actually sit on the nest; they are kneeling, considering the anatomy of their legs. What looks like a backward-bending knee is actually their heel (intertarsal joint).

- 17:25 Z.preens N., 17:25:35 N. up
- N. preening, Z. rests

- 17:35:19 N. preparing his "bed" (moving some soft nest material) and settles down
- 17:38:22 Zica preens him, 17:38:43 N. up
- 17:39 N. preens Zica (allopreening) - himself and again Z. , repeatedly

- 17:44 mating attempt, Zica "no" (unsuccessful solicitation)
- Zica resting, Natalio preening



- 17:52:25 N. stretches his wing - he scared Zica
- N. is rearranging the soft nest material (shortly), preening, strengthening the nest rim and preening Zica (17:57:02)

[marika.solo]

- next to approaching Zica, but she has for now enough (repeatedly)

If the male stretches his neck but the female remains standing upright, it can be recorded as an "unsuccessful solicitation"/mating - in black storks, this communication via neck movement is often very subtle and lasts only a few seconds

- N. preening, Z. resting

again no mating -Z. walks away


- 18:08:58 "mating" - N. is not on her back



- N. preens Zica

[marika.solo]

- 18.15 N. preening, Z. resting

continuation
- (18.18 - mating attempt)
- 18:19:09 N. pooping (good)
- 18:19:22 N. down, Z. preens him, 18:20:28 N. up

- Z. preening, Natalio 18:21:02 out

- Zica is very busy, she is adjusting the nest (is the first egg laying near?)

- 18:28:28 Natalio arrives - delivery: moss (?)



- now N. works to 18:29:21 and again down, Z. preens him
- N. brings with his bill the soft material closer to the body, 18:30:45 up, preening
- 18:32:23 Z. preening

[marika.solo]

- 18:33:09 Natalio out

continuation
- 18:34 Zica preening, resting

- 18:40:38 Natalio lands - delivery: dry straw
- (18:42:10 mating attempt)
- 18:42:55 Zica works - is she preparing the nest cup?
- Natalio preens
- 18:47:13 N. down, Zica preens him - 18:48:32 N. up
- N. preens
- (18:49:11 mating attempt)
- 18:50 preening (both), N. longer - 18:52:51 Z. preens him (very shortly)
- both resting

- 18:54:46 MATING
- preening (both)
- 19:00 resting

- 19:05:03 MATING
- preening (both)

[marika.solo]

- 19:11:14 N. preens Zica

continuation

- 19:45:07 Natalio out


- 19:19:23 Natalio arrives - delivery: dry moss


handsome Natalio