• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Wild bird feeding a different species?

sunnysmom

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/16/13
Messages
28,803
Location
Pennsylvania
Real Name
Michelle
I have this little sparrow in my back yard- I call him crooked tail because his tail is crooked. Lol. I saw him when he was young just laying in my bird feeder. I actually thought he was sick and almost tried to catch him and take him to the wild animal rescue. But he could fly and was eating so I let it go. He now is my most frequent back yard visitor. He's there every morning and throughout the day. As he got a little older, he became friends with this young robin. They were together every morning. Then the robin disappeared and I felt bad for crooked tail because he didn't seem to hang out with the other sparrows. Then finally I think he got a girlfriend as he started hanging out with this other little sparrow. Then this morning, I saw him feeding another bird! A much bigger bird. I'm not sure what kind of bird. I've never seen this bird before. He/she didn't look like a baby but maybe is young? But was easily 4 times bigger than crooked tail. Definitely not a sparrow. And the bird just stood there as crooked tail ran around the yard bringing him food and putting it in the other bird's mouth. (While his girlfriend sat there watching.) Has anyone ever seen this before? I always thought crooked tail was a bit "special". LOL. I watched him do this for probably close to 10 minutes before I had to leave for work.
 

Kiwi & Co.

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Joined
6/4/19
Messages
3,637
Location
New England
Crooked tail and gf could have had eggs, and a cowbird laid in their nest. Cowbirds replace other birds eggs with theirs, so you often see parents feeding babies much larger than them.
 

Mizzely

Lil Monsters Bird Toys
Super Moderator
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
8/9/11
Messages
39,969
Location
Northern Mitten Michigan
Real Name
Shawna [she/her]
Crooked tail and gf could have had eggs, and a cowbird laid in their nest. Cowbirds replace other birds eggs with theirs, so you often see parents feeding babies much larger than them.
This is my guess also :) Brood parasites!
 
Top