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By Lisa Moore
Hometown Weekly Correspondent
Spring is a magical time of year. Flowers and plants sprout up, bringing color back to a browned winter landscape. Animals come out of hibernation or return from migration and begin the search for a mate. For most birds, spring is mating season; with careful observation, one can see birds engage in courtship behaviors, gather nesting materials, build nests, and lay eggs.
Birds begin the task of building nests to provide a safe place to raise their young. Each type of bird has adapted specialized techniques for building nests. Some, like the robin, use mud and grass to construct a sturdy cup shaped nest. Others, like the grey catbird, use sticks and leaves. The Baltimore Oriole, meanwhile, weaves a purse shaped nest of grass.
If you are lucky enough to find an active nest site, you may be able to get a glimpse of the amazing life cycle of birds. When a nesting bird pair has completed nest construction, the female bird will begin laying eggs, usually one per day for several days. Multiple eggs increase the chance for at least one egg maturing and the offspring surviving. The parent birds will often take turns, alternating between sitting on the eggs brooding them, incubating the eggs to keep them at the correct temperature, and gathering food. Incubation period may last several days to weeks depending on the specific bird species.
Once an egg has matured the baby bird will hatch. The newborn bird is extremely vulnerable, born with its eyes closed and without feathers. At this stage, the bird is called a hatchling. After approximately three days, the baby bird will open its eyes, and begin to develop feathers. Its wing feathers may look like tubes because they have yet to break through their protective sheaths. At this stage, the baby bird is called a nestling. During the hatchling and nestling stages, the baby bird is not able to leave the nest and relies on its parents to deliver food into its waiting beak. After approximately 14 days or more, the bird will become a fledgling. The fledgling is fully feathered, though its wings and tail may be short. The fledgling may not be a great flier yet but it can walk, hop, and flutter. At this stage, it may leave the nest for short periods under the watchful eyes of its parents. During this time, the bird will get stronger and learn from its parents all the things it needs to know to survive on its own.
Once a bird has developed enough and is ready to leave the nest or fledge for the last time it will fly off on its own and begin the cycle again. The parents will then abandon the nest and work on recovering energy stores lost during the time it cared for its young. Many people have come across a baby bird that has fallen from its nest and want to help but are unsure what to do. Some people believe the myth that touching a baby bird will cause its parents to abandon it. This is actually false, most birds lack a good sense of smell and would not know if a person touched a young bird. If you find a hatchling or nestling bird that has fallen from its nest, you could gently return it to the nest. If you find a fledgling out of its nest, it is likely under the supervision of its parents nearby and should be left alone.
For more information about birds, visit www.massaudubon.org
