Over the years I have been lucky four times to come across and take photos of birds mating via a "cloacal kiss". A "cloacal kiss" is the brief, physical touching of the male and female bird's cloacas, or external openings, during mating, to transfer sperm for fertilization. The male mounts the female and they briefly press their cloacas together. This transfer is very quick, sometimes lasting a second or less.
CASPIAN TERNS MATING
PRESQU'ILE PROVINCIAL PARK
BRIGHTON, ONTARIO
5/19/2025
GREAT EGRETS MATING
WAKODAHATCHEE WETLANDS
DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA
3/9/2016
OSPREYS MATING
PELICAN BAY, N. NAPLES, FLORIDA
12/16/2024
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES MATING
PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
6/14/2023
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