Bird parents are dedicated and hard-working. They are positively tireless. The more I observe them, the more respect I gain for them.
The demands of creating and raising a family require diligence 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Bird parents must provide security from predators for their young and, of course, the necessary food to fledge them. For some species, such as the Eastern Bluebird (found throughout our island ecosystem), their duties don’t end when they fledge a brood of babies because they typically attempt two or three broods each season.
For Bald Eagles, their nesting season is 4-plus months long. And that doesn’t account for the courtship phase, which can be three months or longer. In our area, courtship runs from about mid-August until they lay their first egg around Thanksgiving. During that time, the two Bald Eagles have to build or restore a nest and maintain their approximately 1-square-mile territory. Restoring the nest and mating are integral parts of strengthening their pair bond.
Once the first egg is laid, the eagle pair has critical around-the-clock responsibilities for about four months. Bald eagles share something with other species in that once their young have fledged the nest, they often continue to beg for food, even when they can hunt and feed themselves!
This applies to other raptor species as well, such as Ospreys and Mississippi Kites. Fledgling raptors can be seen carrying on in dramatic fashion from the treetops as they ‘scream’ and beg in an effort to capture the attention of the adults. Juvenile Bald Eagles can sometimes be seen sitting near their nest screaming to be fed weeks after they have fledged.
Observing adult birds feeding their fledged offspring is interesting and enjoyable. Whether you see a Northern Cardinal with a wingspan of about 10 inches feeding their young or the larger Pileated Woodpecker with a wingspan of approximately 29 inches, the young birds behave the same when anticipating or begging for food. They will open their mouths as wide as they can (something they learned in the nest) and flutter their wings rapidly. They are usually very animated and noisy as they await “room service” from their parents in their treetop “penthouses.”
Some young birds like Carolina Wrens, Wood Ducks, and Pine Warblers are coaxed from the nest before they can fly. Their parents will continue to protect, feed, and care for them until they can fly, and even for a time after that. They often do this by secluding their young in shrubs and undergrowth either in your yard or in a more wild area. From this vantage point, the adults will teach them where and how to obtain food until they can fly and feed themselves. If you have feeders in your yard, their search for food will come right to your doorstep. Offering fresh, clean water in your yard is equally appetizing to birds, for both young and adults alike.
To help protect nesting birds (also their eggs and nestlings) that use boxes, please use extenders to the nest hole entrance. If you offer nesting boxes, be sure to mount them on a pole instead of a tree and put a baffle on the pole to deter squirrels, snakes, and raccoons. Consult the staff at Wild Birds Unlimited for more detailed suggestions. You can also find books on nesting birds, binoculars to aid in observing them, and advice on seed as well as nesting boxes and predator deterrents. Remember to ask about live meal worms for your feeders; the birds will thank you!
As always, be respectful around all wildlife. Give them the space they need by using binoculars and zoom lenses to get a better look. For further information, visit allaboutbirds.com.