Juvenile Northern Mockingbirds
Two young orphaned Northern Mockingbirds—unrelated and at different stages of development—recently arrived at Tucson Wildlife Center in need of care. One was a nestling, still completely dependent on others for food and warmth, while the other was an older fledgling beginning to explore the world more independently.
Because many young songbirds develop important survival skills by watching and interacting with older birds, our wildlife care team housed them together. It did not take long for something remarkable to happen: the fledgling began feeding mealworms to the younger nestling (see video).
While the older bird is still young himself, these kinds of natural social interactions can help younger birds develop more quickly and confidently. In the wild, fledglings continue learning from their parents and surrounding birds long after leaving the nest—practicing foraging, communication, and other behaviors essential for survival.
Providing opportunities for these natural behaviors is an important part of wildlife rehabilitation. As these two continue to grow and strengthen, they will ultimately be released together back in the wild. If you would like to help patients like these Northern Mockingbirds, click this link to donate,
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