Babies – the bird version – is now playing at an outdoor theater near you. These babies are visible and audible everywhere. Listen for repetitive buzzy sounds, like infant children make with a persistent demanding tone of voice. Then scan nearby power lines, tree branches, or fence tops to find them. Watch their parents feeding them, even though they appear to be almost equal in size.
The baby birds assume a hunched-over posture, their wings fluttering and beaks agape. The above photo of Northern Cardinal taken by Lucille Lacovelli, at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, captures food-begging behavior well. Eventually the parent relents, feeding the juvenile by thrusting its beak so deep into the begger’s mouth that it looks like the adult is planting the food directly into the juvenile’s stomach.
And then there are numerous ducklings, afloat and in nests in local wetlands. Mallard, Gadwall, Wood Duck and other parents travel these parts with flotillas of fuzzy, oddly painted ducklings.
Babies – the Bird Version is a great, free show. It plays annually from Spring to early Summer in your yard, park, green space or tree. Take a look, have a listen and most importantly, enjoy!
