Following courtship, the birds in my yard settled in to lift their younger. The American Robins (pictured above) nested in our previous apple tree or on the elbow of our neighbour’s downspout. These birds supplied me with alternatives to observe some fascinating nesting behaviours. I had learn that robins use mud of their nests. We had put down a brand new piece of sod that I wanted to water each day. I watched a feminine robin come to that spot and scoop up bits of grass and dust for her nest. Our native Cooper’s Hawk inadvertently supplied nesting materials for the native birds as effectively. When it had grabbed a Mourning Dove, the scattered feathers had been shortly collected by the yard regulars for his or her nests.
Mourning Dove
The male robins took the protection of their territory severely. One spring a Blue Jay was choosing up seeds beneath the principle feeder, wolfing down sunflower seeds. The male robin was on patrol. He got here flying between our and our neighbours’ homes, whipping across the nook, and heading straight for the jay. The robin ploughed into the jay, knocking it off its ft. The startled jay shook itself off and resumed feeding. The offended robin rotated on the opposite aspect of our home and flew on the jay from the opposite path. A second hit was sufficient for the jay and it left the yard to the victorious robin. Generally it takes a mob to defend the neighbourhood. In the future I regarded out to see an American Crow carrying what a nestling. Following the crow had been robins, cardinals and the native Pink-winged Blackbird.
Blue Jay
I had additionally examine how Pink-winged Blackbirds in poor territories had been capable of maximize the variety of younger they produce. The journal article described how the male would look after the fledglings and even feed them. Then his solely mate would have the ability to begin nesting once more and have one other clutch. My yard was not a spot the place a male may entice a harem. After a few years, the resident male Pink-winged Blackbird lastly was lastly capable of entice a lone feminine. Just a few weeks later, I used to be amazed to see the male feeding two fledglings. He was exhibiting the precise behaviour that was described within the journal. That was why I all the time checked the view from my window, within the hope that I might see extra fascinating behaviours.
Observe: All pictures are from Wikipedia Commons, a web based supply of copyright-free pictures: American Robin; Mourning Dove by Jeffrey Gammon; Blue Jay by Sam.
