Some birds that have been "around the block" a few times, try for one more brood of babies at the end of the summer. You may see some of the newbies around now.
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| juvenile Cardinal - note the black bill |
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| juvenile American Robin - note the spotted breast |
In Texas, an extra brood of babies is possible. Given the longer summers, an experienced pair of birds might be able to get 4 broods instead of the 3 that it says in guidebooks, or 5 broods instead of 4
(the number depends on the species). The timing, and the weather, are of utmost importance. Also important is the availability of fresh food.
A juvenile bird is called a fledgling once it leaves the nest. It can't fly very well yet (if at all) but the parents are always nearby. They look for things like water sources and potential dangers and bring food to the fledgling when needed. (Humans should just leave fledglings alone unless they are in imminent danger, like being in the middle of a road)
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| Bluebirds - note that the adult (left) and the juvenile are roughly the same size |
