Every morning I am awakened by the
loud chirping of baby birds. This is usually around dawn and then goes on for
the rest of the day. It is quite a chorus and they are very persistent in
making their needs known…more food please!! This is the second family of house
sparrows being raised in the birdhouse on our deck. I have been fascinated
watching the various comings and goings of the parents.
Dad, the more colourful one, often
sits on the top of the birdhouse or on the eaves of the house and seems to keep
watch. As there are some cats around, I think this is a wise move. Mom comes
flying in with some tasty morsel and as soon as she does, Dad flies off. They
seem to come and go in rotation. I have found that they work amazingly well as
a team. Both are feeding the young and take their responsibilities very
seriously.
I am now learning of their
different calls. The parents have a more mature kind of chirp and Dad seems to
show off with a variety of very melodic tones. Sometimes he is very loud and
boisterous. Other females have been hanging around, so I’m not sure if he is
trying to attract them, or say keep away from my babies!! The babies are not
melodic, just loud and wanting attention. It is just like the young of all species,
that they cry or make lots of noise when they are hungry. So interesting to
watch what happens in nature, and see that humans behave in the same way.
The babies kept inside the
birdhouse for the longest time and I could only hear them. Now I see a beak
peeking out every once in awhile, but as soon as they hear me open the door,
they retreat and there isn’t a peep out of the babies. I am always amazed how
they learn to keep quiet when they perceive danger. Who taught them? The
Pacific Chorus Frogs do that as well. They can be making a huge racket and as
soon as a car drives in or our footsteps crunch on the gravel, there is total
silence. Amazing co-ordination!
I realized that in this hot
weather our pond has dried up, so there isn’t fresh water readily available to
the birds. I put out two water dishes with rocks in them, so they can drink and
bathe while tending to the babies. I envision a very tall bird-bath in my
garden, one that cats can’t access, but it will serve all the birds, bees,
butterflies that regularly visit my flowers.
These baby birds are lucky that
both parents are able to take care of them and keep feeding those hungry
bellies. When one or both die, it probably means the death of the babies. That
is one reason I don’t like to see domestic cats killing birds, as the cats don’t
need the food, but they are having a devastating effect on the world-wide song
bird population.
The most vulnerable time will be when the babies are flopping
around, sometimes on the ground, while they exercise their wings and try to get
air-borne. It is still summer, who knows, maybe this romantic couple will try
for another family as soon as these babies leave the nest. They were certainly
amorous when they found the nest box. It has been so much fun raising a family
on my deck. I hope they make it!
Susana
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