I returned solo with my camera and the bird charged me again, strangely allowing me to pick it up--didn't peck me either. Was it daring death? Normally I take sick animals to to the Humane Society, but instead left birdie-badass on the little stump in the bush.
I went back to find it a third time, but no chirp or trace. I imagined it charged the other dogwalker with pit bulls or fell prey to one of the numerous feral cats in our neighborhood. RIP, sweet little kamikaze bird.
4 comments:
Could be a young type of starling (the young ones often have yellow mouths) or a type of black bird. They nest in hollows under doors or holes in basements. They generally do not nest in trees. The mother hides them in bushes and teaches them to fly off the ground. This is probably mom and baby bird was likely hidden nearby on the ground.
Actually on second glance this might have been the baby learning to fly. Looks like it has baby feathers. I'm not a bird expert. Obviously... :)
Hey and thanks for the observations. I'm no ornithologist, but the bird definitely looked old. When I left it, I could hear other birds chirping for it so you're probably right about it being the mom. As an environmental oversight, why would a starling want to live anywhere near low ground in feral cat heaven Pigtown?!?
Starlings are an introduced species and have overpopulated to the point of forcing out native birds so try not to feel too bad if this little fella did become dinner for a feral kitty. Cats on the other hand are native to the Americas. The domesticated variety do overpopulate the city thanks to people who don't bother to spay/neuter their pets :(
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