THE YOUNG BIRD 



tended and fed by the parents while their muscles and 

 bones are strengthening and their feathers developing. 

 Meanwhile they practise the art of flying, and their 

 parents teach them how to seek their food. 



The nestling birds are fed in various ways. Some 

 species of birds swallow the food and regurgitate it 

 from the crop or stomach into the throat of the young 

 bird. Other species, viz., many of the sea birds, the 

 doves, and the humming birds, employ this method 

 until the young are able to feed themselves. Others, 

 again, do so only when the nestlings are very young 

 and delicate. Some of the passerine birds feed their 

 young for a few days in this way, but they, with the 

 great majority of the others, thrust the food in its 

 natural state into the gaping mouths of their youngsters. 

 The diet is carefully chosen. The softest and tenderest 

 insect larvae are given to the very young nestlings. 

 The young of the smaller species of birds are fed 

 every few minutes during the greater portion of the 

 daylight hours. The food, as already mentioned, is 

 at first small and tender to suit the delicate stomachs 

 of the offspring. From day to day larger prey is 

 brought, and when too large the parents dismember 

 it with their bills. 



The larger birds usually feed their nestlings at 

 much longer intervals, and often many hours pass 

 between each visit to the nest, but the young receive 

 a large bulk of food at a meal. The birds of prey 

 bring the food to the nest and proceed to tear it to 

 pieces. When a bit is torn off it is thrust into the 

 gaping mouth of the eager, squealing youngster. 



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