Bird song this morning started at 5.05am.

Twittering, tweeting and chirping.
Announcing to each other, I am here, I am awake and ready to defend my territory.
Spring is upon us and birds are building their nests ready to lay their eggs.

This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

Our local magpie family has already bought its first chick to us, still small and untidy looking, for feeding. She wont come near. But the parents come over for a mouthful of meat and take it to her.. I suspect she will be "moved on" by them if they have a second brood this spring..😷

hartfire

@whowasthatmaskedman There's a great book, "Bird Bonds", by an ornithologist at UNE. It's in my local library so might also be in yours. In it, she says (Australian) magpie fledglings take two years to reach adulthood and 5-7 years before choosing a lifemate. In areas with poor feed, the youngster is chased out at about two years old but before that learns how to forage from their example. In abundant areas, adult chicks may sometimes stay in the area and help bring food to successive broods of chicks. They sometimes form cooperative extended families.

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

@hartfire We have been doing this for over a decade now and I think we are on our third generation. The original mother had a dmaged leg and was having trouble foraging in a drought, so we started supplimenting (not making them dependent) and after a couple of years, the next couple took over as she didnt return.. Right now we have the parents, a single female (probably last years fledge) and a newbie. Smart birds even know my car as it pulls into the driveway and come down to be served.. They are the perfect pet substitute really. 😷

hartfire

@whowasthatmaskedman Similar at our place.
I asked our local wildlife carers about the best foods for them.
I give pea-sized pieces of meat coated in potassium-bicarbonate (from a horse feed supplier), walnuts, pecans and dried berries.
I put birdbath on a stand (to stop cane toads getting in), in the shade with stones and branches in it. Also in the shade, they have a dust bath of sand and diatomaceous earth (to smother their lice).
I'm experimenting with games for them - hiding the food so they use their intelligence to find it.
I imitate their calls and have fun when they answer back.
They know us as individuals now.
We've given them names according to the shapes of their white markings: at present, Henry, Hannah and Newbie. :)
Henry does a little dance of excitement when he sees me.

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

@hartfire Ours get two bird baths in the shade of an oak..And I have watched them go from one to the other, to rinse off..😷