Are MdO Birds Practicing Social Distancing?

Much like humans the answer is yes, no, or sometimes.

Montaña de Oro (MdO)  -  Everything about MdO was Beautiful.  Coastal chaparral vibrant with spring growth, dramatic cloud formations, few people, precious bunnies dashing across the trail, and my favorite MdO bluff birds -  Scrub Jay (below), Quail, Thrasher, Wrentit, Bushtit, Bewick's Wren - Brandt's and Pelagic Cormorant - Oystercatcher, and the newly arrived Pigeon Guillemot.

But the beauty of the morning did little to assuage my deep concern over the welfare of MdO's birds.  Were they practicing "social distancing?"

"Yes!"  for Pigeon Guillemots.  Monogamous Guillemot pairs, obviously aware of the global pandemic, were keeping their distance from other pairs of Guillemots.  I was delighted to see they had perfected the art of social distancing.

"No!"  for the Brandt's Cormorant.  Like some humans Brandt's are very social.  They love to party.

"Sometimes!" for the Pelagic Cormorant.  When nesting they practice social distancing.  After their chick fledge they hang out in flocks, often mingling with other species of Cormorants.

"Sometimes!" for Oystercatchers.  They nest individually, keeping all intruders at bay.  Though, in winter they often gather in flocks, sometimes with friends.  Oystercatchers do need to work on their social distancing skills.

"Yes!"  for the majority of bluff birds.  Social distancing is firmly fixed in their way of life.  After my morning observations I realized that regardless of what happens to the human population, the MdO birds will survive. 

Thought For the Day - "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.  It is the one that is most adaptable to change."     Charles  Darwin