The first two photos show the mother Red-winged Blackbird removing waste from the butt of her young. The third photo shows her giving her young some shade with her body and wings.
My photos are available for license at: stevencreek.clustershot.com.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I had no idea that birds did this. I had to send this one around at the office. Thats amazing!
Thanks son! I had a friend that thought the mother bird was feeding her young a marshmallow.
Is this the same nest that the Scissortail was tending?
(Great pictures all around, btw.)
It is not the same, Art. By the time I got back to the others they were gone.
The waste is called a “fecal sac”. Mother (and probably father?) birds remove it from the nest – usually carrying it a distance away so predators are not alerted by the presence of the waste near the nest.
Marvelous photos, BTW, Steve! Just found your site via Twitter (I’m @AnnRan5)
Your photos amaze me more everyday, and the past few days have been so sweet and sensitive. Never knew birds cleaned their young like this, thought it was indigenous to mammals. How do you get above the nest to get such great shots. Never stop what you do, you bring joy to so many. Judi K
Really nice clean images again Steve – I look to see your new stuff most days. Inspirational!
That is amazing, never knew birds did that. Like the other comments these are great shots and I am glad you were able to get them ( don’t know how you are always in the right spot at the right time) keep it up.