weeks or more. Usually both parents work together to bring food to the young anywhere between 4 and 12 times per hour. A major exception is the Wilson’s Phalarope, a western aquatic sandpiper. Not only does the female not help feed the young, she deserts the family as soon as she finishes laying eggs, leaving the male to be a single dad.


Another female with questionable nesting behavior is the


Brown-headed Cowbird, which forces other birds to become surrogate moms. They lay their eggs in the nest of other birds, who incubate them and raise the young, which in turn grow up to dump their own eggs. This behavior began many years ago when Cowbirds followed bison for food and couldn’t stay in one place to nest. Although they no longer need to dump their eggs, their DNA is still coded to do so. Other female birds are known for aggressively defending their eggs and young. If you have ever walked too close to a Northern Mockingbird nest, you have probably had your hair parted in a new place as they tap your head with their feet. And Canada Geese are notorious for loudly protecting their nest and young, but they will also help out another mom in the clan if she is struggling. Birds such as Purple Martins are wired to nest as a colony,


building individual nests in large white houses or gourds that are placed high off the ground. Although they are nesting closely together, each mated pair will defend their own nest within the colony. And some males are two-timing dads, supporting more than one female and nest within the colony. Other colony nesting birds, like Chimney Swifts work to-


gether to raise their young. Unmated birds often help a breeding pair raise their young. And Barn Swallows also adopt the parent- ing attitude that it takes a village to raise their young. Extra adults, “aunts” and “uncles,” help build the nest, incubate the eggs and defend the nest from predators. Older siblings from an earlier brood will also help feed the young. The award for the most dedicated mom bird would likely go


to the Least Tern, a bird that builds its nest in a scrape of sand just above high tide on the beach. The mother will tirelessly stand over the eggs and the nestlings to shade them from the hot sun. The Least Tern mom will also go into the ocean to saturate her belly feathers with water in order to give the young a cool sponge bath. Just as dedicated is the Emperor Penguin dad, who holds the


egg on his feet and covers it with a belly flap, sheltering it from the freezing temperatures and high winds of Antarctica. He tends the egg for a month or more as the mom heads out to sea to feed. By the time mom returns, dad has lost a great deal of weight, all for the protection of their young. No matter what species of birds are nesting in your yard, both Mom and Dad have put a great deal of energy and time into building a nest, laying eggs, and raising their young. So, please respect bird nests and realize that eggs and baby birds are very delicate. Also, consider holding off on any tree or shrub trimming until late summer when most nesting in complete so that you do not accidentally disturb or disrupt a nest cycle.


Written by Barbara Haralson, Owner, Wild Birds Unlimited, 2920-A Martinsville Road, Greensboro. For more information, call 336.282.4458. See ad on page 16.


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