Our first baby!

[Jessica]

It was fledged June 4th but we've been so busy recording it and watching it that only now have I told you about it. Watching these parents with their baby on the floor ... they fly down and eat seed right next to it but won't feed it until after an hour or so when it finally, out of its frustration, SCREAMS at them. They feed it just a bite or two and the fly up to a branch. They watch it constantly and it is getting SOOOOOO frustrated with them. But they are feeding it a LOT.

It reminds me of a saying. A woman had a son with no arms. A neighbor woman was visiting and the son was struggling to put his coat on. He struggled and struggled and finally the neighbor said, "WHY don't you HELP HIM?"

The mom softly smiled and said, "I am."

These finch parents are doing same thing - the struggle and pushing it to fly and get stronger. They keep enticing the baby to come over to the seed dish, they eat seed. The baby tries the seed then begs instead; parents fly up to a branch. It is utterly beautiful to watch them encourage the baby to struggle and grow. Parents are both red head purple breast green back Gouldians.

Attached is pic of baby its first day out. And now we have two more fledge from a different nest - we never get tired of watching the process! This first baby is now a flying terror and the parents push it away and it eats on its on. It is a zooming streak!

[finchbreeder]

Like you observed. The parents were smart enough to know it must learn for itself.