"Ohsojourner"  wrote in message
news:1106187508.113959.99450{at}c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I have a niger thistle feeder placed near the window where I work.  It
> attracts the local house finches, where I was able to observe a bit of
> bird sociology at close range.
>
> The finches would visit in pairs.  The males have reds heads and the
> females are all brown, so it's easy to tell them apart.  Often I'd
> observe a ritual where the males would pick seeds out of the feeder
> while the females sat nearby, displaying oddly juvenile-like behavior
> fluttering their wings and begging for food from the males, who would
> then oblige by placing food in the females' beaks.  I wondered why they
> often acted this way when the females were perfectly capable of eating
> from the feeder, as they often did.  It occurred to me that the females
> might be "testing" the males' nurturing skills, since northern
> songbirds are usually monogamous -- both parents needed to help with
> the process of hatching and raising the chicks.  Males that
> demonstrated good nurturing skills in turn probably put them to use
> during nesting time, and their offspring probably had a better chance
> of surviving into adulthood.  Therefore, their traits -- nurturing
> males and females demonstrating juvenile-like "testing behavior" --
> were passed on to subsequent generations.
>
(snip)

Among many birds, it is part of the courtship behaviour for the male to feed
the female. Birds that feed their young from their crops, like doves and
hookbeaks  (Parrot-type birds) appear to "kiss'. The male is regurgitating
seed from his crop and passing it to the female. This is what is happening
when a budgie deposits chewed seed on his mirror or on his owner's hand - he
is feeding his "mate".

Finches feed their young from the beak not the crop, seed or insects that
they have collected. They feed their mates in the same way.

This is normal bird behaviour and helps with pair-bonding. After the male ha
s fed the female, they usually mate.

If human males want to follow the birds' example, remember  "Candy is dandy
but liquor is quicker". (Ogden Nash)

Geopelia.




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