View this email in your browser

Wild Love Stories

Magical Love

You may have heard of Merlin the warlock, but the Merlin falcons (Falco columbarius) came first! Though their wizard counterpart possesses the ability of magic, Merlin birds have somewhat similar mystical powers in the realm of love!

During courting, male Merlins will exhibit a technique called “power flying,” which uses deep wing beats and flying side to side in a rolling motion, in an attempt to enchant a female mate. The males will also engage in “flutter flight,” where they fly slowly, using shallow wing beats, flying in the shape of circles or figure eights. When the male lands next to the female they want to mate with, they will bow their heads and fan their tails in a dramatic gesture to charm the female.

One other entrancing display of flight includes diving in deep U-shapes. When a female chooses the male bird that has put her under his spell, the two will take flight, high up in the air, and “high circle,” which marks their territory together. The females will also request food and the male will bring prey to her. The pair will also engage in nest displays, and the mates will bond over one or two months before they lay their eggs. Bewitching!

These many different love stories can be a metaphor for supporting non-profit organizations like the Bolsa Chica Conservancy. Whether you chose to Volunteer your time, Donate Today, or just spread the word of an organization, these strategies can all have equal success! Go to www.bolsachica.org and choose which strategy works best for you!
 

LOOKING TO SUPPORT THE CONSERVANCY EVERYTIME YOU SHOP ON AMAZON? Shop at Smile.Amazon.com and SHARE THE LOVE with your wetlands!

SHOW LOVE for the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in 2021 while you’re shopping online through Amazon. AmazonSmile is a program that donates 0.5% of your eligible purchases on Amazon to the Bolsa Chica Conservancy. All you need to do is start your shopping at smile.amazon.com, and the donation will be made at no extra cost to you.

Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved.

*|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|*
*|LIST:DESCRIPTION|*

Our mailing address is:

*|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|*

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

*|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|*
*|END:IF|*