Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2002 09:16:55 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Ray Wilson Subject: Re: Weaver chick raising habits? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear Laura, Many social bird species are known to have helpers that aid in the feeding of the young. These are usually related, non-breeding birds either having failed in their own breeding attempt or were unable to find a mate. From your description (sparrow with a black spot in a white cheek) I assume the species your friend is referring to is the Eurasian Tree Sparrows, but the sexes are identical in this species so I could be wrong. I don't know whether tree sparrows are known to exhibit this type of helper behaviour, but in Europe they are usually found in loose colonies that stay together year round so I guess it is possible the parent birds may occasionally allow failed breeders from the colony to help in the rearing of their chicks from time to time. Ray Wilson Riverdale, MD wilsonr@umbi.umd.edu "Laura M. Appelbaum" wrote: > A friend of mine in Washington State wrote to me to see if I had any > clues on this, which I don't, but I figured one of you might. :D He has > a nest of Eurasian Sparrows (not House Sparrows, but the similar kind > with a white cheek with a black spot on it) near his house. Here's what > he observed and asked: > > "I was just watching my weavers in the back yard and noted two > interesting tidbits... First, the offspring are growing -- one of the > little birdlets poked his head out of the house while I was watching. > Second, and more of a surprise to me, there are two females and a male > doing the feeding. Is this common, having harems sharing a single nest?" > > So what's the verdict, fellow birders? Is it typical to see two females > and a male all feeding chicks in the same birdhouse? > > Laura Appelbaum > Colesville, MD > > ======================================================================= > To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com > with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey > ======================================================================= ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================