As I sit in my favorite “office” writing this (which is our screened porch, overlooking our back yard and feeders), I can’t help but notice a male Eastern Bluebird. He’s flying back and forth, from the trees to the nest box we added this year. He’s definitely working overtime, delivering food to his hungry family.
We’ve been watching them all spring. My husband put up the new bluebird box in March and barely got back in the house before Mr. & Mrs. Bluebird had discovered and claimed it. Brood number two is about to fledge.
We’ve watched several feathered parents raise their young around our feeders this year. It’s impressive to see their dedication. So that got me thinking. Which bird dads make the best fathers?
Several resident male backyard birds get busy once the babies are hatched. Northern Cardinals, Carolina Wrens, Northern Mockingbirds, Tufted Titmice, Brown Thrashers, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers all take part in the whole process, including food delivery. They are the Door-Dashers of the bird world.
Male Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets gather nesting material, assist with incubation, and help feed the young.
Osprey, Owls and Eagles are also busy dads, hunting for food and feeding the female while she’s incubating, then feeding the hungry chicks after they hatch.
But what about superstar dads? Which feathered dad stands out as best of the best? Feathered Dad of the Year?
Downy Woodpeckers rank pretty high! They work together to build the nest and they both incubate the eggs during the day. But at night Dad takes over. Once babies arrive, he stays in the nest cavity with them at night until they fledge, keeping them warm and safe. Once fledged, he teaches them where and how to find food. Devoted from start to finish.
But Dad of the Year should go to a bird not found on Seabrook Island, not even close. The Emperor Penguin. According to Audubon, after mom lays a single egg she immediately transfers it to dad’s feet, where it stays warm under a brood pouch of skin and feathers. The female then heads off to the spa for weeks….no, not the spa, the “sea” for weeks, leaving dad to fend for himself against the frigid Antarctic winter. In fact, many Emperor penguin males huddle together for warmth during this critical time, all with the same responsibility of keeping the egg warm. Once mom returns, refreshed and well fed (maybe it was the spa), then dad takes off for his weeks-long feast with all the other guys. Eventually he returns and they work together, co-parenting their young.
So, while we enjoy backyard barbecues and summer fun with our dads this Father’s Day, don’t forget about all our feathered friends who are working around the clock, making sure their chicks are safe and well fed. No cookouts or beach days for them, they work straight through. For this we recognize all the Dad’s of the bird world. Happy Father’s Day!
Submitted by Gina Sanders