Dear Cathy, I toss a small handful of sunflower kernels onto our patio each day. For the past month or so, a male cardinal has perched himself near our patio sliding door several times a day, making himself known by flying around and getting near to the door to make sure we see him. I noticed that he had often been accompanied by a fat female.
He often takes a kernel to her and feeds her, beak to beak. She shakes a lot as he does this. She never feeds herself, and she shakes only when being fed by him.
Is this normal behavior, and what does it signify? – Steve, Manhasset, New York Dear Steve, The male’s frequent visits and display near your back door are typical territorial behaviors during breeding season. He’s establishing his territory. The male feeding the female is a common courtship behavior.
By providing sustenance, he strengthens their bond, allowing her to conserve energy for egg-laying and incubation to ensure successful breeding. The female’s shaking could indicate trust or excitement. Bird behaviors are fun to observe.
Enjoy! People are also reading...
Dear Cathy, We have three cats, all of which eat canned food twice daily. Dry food is available 24/7. One of them, a 13-year-old female, was gone from our home for a month.
She weighed 11 to 12 pounds when she left and returned, starving, according to our vet, weighing only 6.6 lbs. She was skin and bones.
Three months later, she started begging for wet food six or eight times a day. Being a softy and becaus.
