Strange catbird behavior

I know this is supposed to be a gardening blog but I've gotten interested in the birds around me, and it's gardening that caused that.   This year I've been particularly noticing the catbirds.  When we first moved here, about 15 years ago, the catbird was rarely seen unless I walked to the far back of my 6 acres.  They seemed very shy compared to many of the the other bird species.  It took many years before I started to occasionally see them near the house and a few years after that before I saw them regularly.  Now, they seem almost semi-tame as they forage for insects only 5 or 6 feet away from me as I do some weeding.

Today for the first time, I noticed some rather bizarre behavior.  A catbird hopped up onto the deck railing and then onto one of our cushioned outdoor chairs and assumed this position:

It just froze this way for several minutes and then hopped away.  It has done this at least 5 times in the past few hours that I've been watching from my kitchen window.  What could possibly be the cause?  At first I thought it was injured and was about to die, but as I opened the door to get a closer look, it hopped away.  And then 15 minutes later, there is was again, in the same pathetic pose.  I've Googled in vain.

Comments

[Children's Gardener]

Has he been back?

[Julia]

Yup. This has been going on for a few days straight. Very strange.

[et]

The bird in the photo looks a bit "fluffy". Perhaps it is a fledgling. They do not always exhibit what we have come to think of as "normal" behavior for birds. You could try calling either Brookside or Meadowside Nature Centers, or the Audobon Society (also local).

[Dalcio Dacol]

Hi,
This Gray Catbird is taking a sun light bath. Birds will do that and the reason is not really known although there are speculations: it helps them synthesize vitamin D and get rid of skin parasites, and it probably feels good too.

Dalcio
Poolesville, MD

[Robert]

It could be a fledgling waiting for Mom or Dad to come back and drop food in it's bill. At this time of the year, it's not rare to see fledgling Robins and Grackles standing awkwardly in the yard with their mouths open, waiting for food.

It also could be a parent who has a nest nearby and is acting injured to lure a predator away from the nest. I haven't heard of Catbirds exhibiting that behavior, but I know some plovers do it quite often.

[Pam]

This bird is drunk from eating over-ripe berries. I've seen cedar waxwings act this way.

[Julia]

Interesting, Pam. Not something I would have thought of. Could be!