Today's lesson for the babies: Play dead
I'm sure some of us have seen adult (male) birds trying to attract a female by feining an injury as part of the mating ritual. This was different. I was looking out my kitchen window and I see what looks like a baby titmouse splat on top of the deck railing not moving at all. It looks like the baby might've fallen from a nest above in the tree, so I watch for a moment and decide to go check it out. I get outside and there are a few other titmice (is that a word? ) perched in the nearby bushes and trees, but when I get to where I saw the baby, it's gone. I thought maybe it fell off, so I look over the railing and there's nothing there either. :shrug:
So I go back inside...
I look out the window again... just in time to see another baby fly up to the railing, spread it's wings and fall over on it's side. An adult titmouse flies within a foot of it and stays there. So now, me and the bird are both watching the baby and within about 30 seconds the baby gets up, ruffles it's feathers and flies off to a nearby bush.
I'm sure some of us have seen adult (male) birds trying to attract a female by feining an injury as part of the mating ritual. This was different. I was looking out my kitchen window and I see what looks like a baby titmouse splat on top of the deck railing not moving at all. It looks like the baby might've fallen from a nest above in the tree, so I watch for a moment and decide to go check it out. I get outside and there are a few other titmice (is that a word? ) perched in the nearby bushes and trees, but when I get to where I saw the baby, it's gone. I thought maybe it fell off, so I look over the railing and there's nothing there either. :shrug:
So I go back inside...
I look out the window again... just in time to see another baby fly up to the railing, spread it's wings and fall over on it's side. An adult titmouse flies within a foot of it and stays there. So now, me and the bird are both watching the baby and within about 30 seconds the baby gets up, ruffles it's feathers and flies off to a nearby bush.