I’ve been feeding a rook with a twisted leg for about 5 years now, he/she will let me stand beside them and will sit next to me and will come when I call. She comes 2/3 times a day.
I call her Mori and I’ve never known if she was a male or female - she always comes alone. I always wondered was she alone because of her leg. However, today she arrived with a bigger bird and she was cawing at him and he was feeding her like a mother would do for a baby!
She refused to fly down for her food but he was too nervous to approach her food box. She was getting really loud and impatient. But he was quite hesitant. I’m assuming she’s too old (at least 5) for it to be a mother/youngster relationship? Does this mean she’s likely to be female?
Cin J
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In my extremely very limited experience, adult birds feeding adult birds during the courtship season seems to be commonplace.
I've seen blackbirds, blue tits and of course robins, feeding a prospective partner.
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
I've seen Jays (who are in the same Corvid family as rooks) courtship feeding too so seems quite a common practice in many species of birds during bonding/breeding season. Glad to hear your friendly local rook may have paired up.
Very poor photo but this was a few years ago when I spotted the Jays courtship feeding.....
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Regards, Hazel
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
Sorm said:Thank you all! Unfortunately she has come alone the last few days with no sign of her mate :(
Has she lost her mate, or is it she is incubating eggs while he is feeding?
It could be as few weeks before you find out, unless you've seen something definite.
Sorm said:Both arrived this morning and she was cawing away at him and flapping her wings so I’m hoping the courtship is still on the cards!
You'll have to keep us posted now, you've whetted our appetites!
Fingers crossed for a successful outcome.