Feeding the Swallow Chicks
Hirundo Neoxena

A parent returns to the nest where the young are patiently awaiting feeding.

As soon as the chicks detect the approach they adopt a side-show-alley-clown-like posture and present their open maws.

The parent has only a few milliseconds during final approach to make the choice of which chick gets first bite at the prey.

A swift choice and the chick furthest from the nest is chosen as the first to be fed.

This is no way deters the siblings from keeping up a sustained cheeping and beak-open thrust at the parent while the food is deposited deep down the chick's throat.

On this occassion there is too much for one chick to easily consume, the parent moves on to the next in line who receives the left-overs

These chicks haven't ventured out of the nest yet - but the same sequence is carried out.

The final moments of approach appear to be crucial ones for the chicks who expend a lot of energy trying to convince the parent that they are the one most-deserving of the food.

The transfer is carried out by docking securely with the chicks mouth - this allows no possibility of escape for the often-still-struggling insect.

• Satin Bower Birds
• Cockatoos
• Bird feeding contests
• Ducks.
• Finches & Mannikins
• Flycatchers
• Tawny Frogmouth
• Herons
• Honeyeaters

• Birds of Prey
• Kingfishers
• Lorikeets  
• Parrots
• Pigeons and Doves.
• Plovers - Masked Lapwing
• Welcome Swallows
• Feeding Welcome Swallow Chicks
• Water Birds (other)
• Birds without a page of their own

• Platypus.
• Koalas
• Possums

• Carpet pythons
• Water Dragons
• Tree Snakes.

• Frogs.

• Insects

• Encounters with the domestics.

• A Midnight Visitor.