Somehow, it’s August 1st, and summer in Seattle is in full swing. Honestly, it is. It’s supposed to get over 80 degrees later this week.
Two male House Finches. The one on the left has been resident most of the Spring/Summer. (Copyright 2012 by Alex Washoe)
short hair teen gapeThe past month saw birds beginning to gather back into their feeding flocks. Most of the finches that I’ve been enjoying since early spring are still here – only the Pine Siskins have become scarce. But where before I had individual couples, now it’s not uncommon to see several male House Finches, or more rarely Goldfinches, around the feeders at one time. The nesting season is done and they aren’t protecting territories anymore.
If you’ve spent much time watching birds nest, then you know that parenthood is a little different in the avian world than it is among mammals. With us fur-bearing animals it is more often than not the female who gets saddled with child rearing. Not to say there aren’t some decent mammal fathers – but the fact that the whole Class was named for a female attribute should tell you something. Among birds, raising young seems to be a much more egalitarian pursuit. I’ve often watched a couple spend the entire day flying off in opposite directions and alternately arriving back at the nest with sustenance for their insatiable brood.
While I haven’t seen the diversity of fledglings this year that I did last – I have been lucky enough to see something I haven’t seen before: adult birds caring for their young out of the nest.
Male House Sparrow and family. (Copyright 2012 by Alex Washoe)
Male House Sparrow and family, with one baby gaping. (Copyright 2012 by Alex Washoe)
One hardworking House Sparrow dad was around almost daily for a couple of weeks with his brood. The young birds were old enough to feed themselves, but they were still gaping – opening their beaks wide and demanding food. I saw him with them on the suet feeder (and I have some great video of that which I hope to share with you soon), on the seed feeder, and foraging with pigeons on my rail.
The House Finches in my neighborhood also had some young in tow. I haven’t managed to get any photos of them, but I heard them frequently outside the window haranguing their parents. There is nothing quite so insistent as a young bird wanting to be fed.
Young crow demanding to be fed. You can make out the gape flanges at the corners of his mouth and blue eyes. (Copyright 2012 by Alex Washoe)
But the most entertaining youngster around has been a crow. I got to watch what seems to be a crow family – there were two adults and a youngster. I tend to assume it’s a mated couple and their offspring, but crows live in extended families, they often have older siblings or even “cousins” helping out around the nest, so it’s hard to say for sure.
Young crow being fed. (Copyright 2012 by Alex Washoe)
The kid, though, was unmistakable. His squawks became a staple of the neighborhood – I would rush out to the deck several times a day to watch him. He was actually as big, or bigger, than his caretakers, but he had the tell-tale signs: pink gape flanges at the corners of his mouth and blue eyes. A crow’s eyes don’t turn dark until he is fully mature. (Of course, I have no idea if this youngster is male or female — with crows it’s impossible to tell.)
“Adolescent crow” seems almost redundant – but he’s been a great pleasure to watch.
