Thursday, March 18, 2010

my buddy, Peace

White-crowned pigeons (Columba leucocephala) are notoriously skittish birds and usually take flight as soon as a person appears nearby. This one, however, is not shy at all and seems to love to hang in a sea grape tree near my apartment's balcony. Whenever I appear, he (or she) always eyes me intently for about ten seconds and then resumes his (her) grooming, stopping every so often to stare intently some more and assess the situation. Eventually he (she) completely relaxes and focuses nearly completely on the preening, which is an activity performed with closed eyes. The trust is flattering and makes me feel all "Tarzan." I've named him (her) Peace.

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