What active aerial technique does the Yellowthroat occasionally use to catch moving prey?
Answer
Sallying out from a perch
Although the Yellowthroat favors gleaning stationary food, they are not entirely static hunters and possess an opportunistic streak when prey attempts to escape. When an insect moves or tries to fly away, the bird will quickly react by sallying out from its low perch to intercept the prey item in mid-air. This brief aerial pursuit demonstrates an element of active hunting within their overall low-height foraging strategy. This contrasts with their more frequent, stationary gleaning technique, allowing them to capitalize on moving prey that might otherwise evade capture.
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