Today is Mother’s Day here in America. I wonder if the beautiful, hard-working avian mother’s have a special day. Maybe, it is the day the little one fledge and finally have “Flown The Coop.”

Seriously, I would like to wish all of my readers a Happy Mother’s Day with this little tribute.

First, the Momma bird lays her eggs:

Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Eggs ©WikiC

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) Eggs ©WikiC

Blacksmith Lapwing (Vanellus armatus) Eggs ©WikiC

Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) eggs ©WikiC

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) Eggs ©WikiC

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) Eggs ©WikiC

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) eggs ©WikiC

Lesser Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus) Nest w eggs by Nikhil Devasar

Eider Down Nest (in Iceland) with Eggs / photo credit: Ice Ice Baby

Robin Egg in Nest ©Lorl L Stalterl

Domesticated Guineafowl Eggs ©WikiC

Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae) Nest with Eggs ©WikiC

Ferruginous Flycatcher (Muscicapa ferruginea) Eggs ©WikiC

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) Egg in Eastern Phoebe Nest ©WikiC

African Pipit (Anthus cinnamomeus) Eggs ©Wiki

Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) nest w eggs by Nikhil Devasar

“Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her who bore you rejoice.” (Proverbs 23:25 NKJV)

Second, momma has to sit on the eggs for awhile:

AMERICAN COOT on nest (photo credit: MDC Discover Nature)

Pale-blue Monarch (Hypothymis puella) Female on nest ©WikiC

Snowy Egret in Nest with babies by Lee

Great Egret on Nest at Gatorland

Great Egret on Nest at Gatorland

Great Egret on Nest at Gatorland

Great Egret on Nest at Gatorland

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) Female on nest ©WikiC

Asian Openbill (Anastomus oscitans) on nest by Nikhil Devasar

Muscovy Duck on nest at Lake Morton by Lee

Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis) on nest by Ian

Asian Openbill (Anastomus oscitans) on nest by Nikhil Devasar

Costa’s Hummingbird on Nest (Calypte costae) by Bob-Nan

“For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:50 NKJV)

Third, the little ones start to appear:

Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) chick-egg nest ©USFWS

Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) chicks ©USFWS

Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) Chick and Egg ©USFWS

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) Chicks in nest ©WikiC

Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla) Newly Hatched in Nest ©WikiC

Raven Chicks

Snowy Egret in Nest with babies by Lee

Snowy Egret in Nest with babies by Lee

Snowy Egret in Nest with babies by Dan

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) in nest ready to eat WikiC

Baby Chick with Easter Eggs

Baby Chicken with colorful easter eggs ©Colorbox

“Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 19:19 KJV)

Fourth, those little birds get hungry:

Great Blue Heron-nest. Naturally Curious-Mary Holland

Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) Chick in Nest ©WikiC

Wood Thrush. nest ©Audubon Society

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) Chicks in nest ©WikiC

Raven Chicks

Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) at Nest 1 by Anthony747

Common House Martin (Delichon urbicum) by Ian

Snowy Egret in Nest with babies by Dan

Snowy Egret in Nest with babies by Lee

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) with young in nest

Great Horned Owl Chick in Nest From Pinterest

Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) Feedingby Nikhil Devasar

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) feeding a chick ©WikiC

Calliope Hummingbird (Stellula calliope) Female feeding insects to chicks ©WikiC

Little Grassbird (Megalurus gramineus) Adult Feeding Juvenile©WikiC

Indian Spotted Creeper (Salpornis) Feeding by ©WikiC

Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa) ©WikiC Feeding Young

Woodpeckar Feeding Chicks From Pinterest

Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) Feeding at Nest WikiC

Hoopoe Feeding Young ©©Dvir Lotan from Israel

Kingfisher Feeding Young by Phil Kwong

“Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)” (Ephesians 6:2 KJV)

Fifth, they mature (juveniles) and eventually Fly The Coop:

Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua) Juvenile by Ian

Unspotted Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius ridgwayi) Juvenile ©Chris Jimenez – Macaulay Library

Nazca Booby (Sula granti) Juvenile ©WikiC

Black Spotted Barbet (Capito niger) Juvenile at Zoo Miami by Lee 10-2016

Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae) Juveniles ©WikiC

Nene (Branta sandvicensis) Juvenile ©WikiC

Greyish Saltator (Saltator coerulescens) Juvenile WikiC

White-lined Tanager (Tachyphonus rufus) Juvenile ©BirdPhotos.com

Yellow-billed Cardinal (Paroaria capitata) Juvenile ©WikiC

Golden-breasted Bunting (Emberiza flaviventris) Juvenile ©WikiC

Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus) Juvenile ©WikiC

Streaked Spiderhunter (Arachnothera magna) Juvenile by MAMuin

Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) Juvenile Lowry Park Zoo

Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) Juvenile Lowry Park Zoo

Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) Juvenile Lowry Park Zoo

Limpkin Juvenile at Lake Morton by Lee

Sapphire Flycatcher (Ficedula sapphira) Juvenile ©WikiC

Barn Swallow (juvenile)

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) (juvenile) ©USFWS

Eastern Nicator (Nicator gularis) Juvenile Begging ©WikiC

Superb Fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) juvenile ©WikiC

Wreathed Hornbill Juvenile Male CF Zoo by Lee

Wreathed Hornbill Juvenile Male CF Zoo by Lee

Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor palmerstoni) Juvenile by Ian

African Penguin Juvenile

Galapagos Hawk (Buteo galapagoensis) ©WikiC Juvenile

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) Juvenile at Cincinnati Zoo by Lee

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) Juvenile ©WikiC

Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) Juvenile by Nikhil

Sandhill Cranes – Adult and Juvenile in yard 8/27/10

Sandhill juvenile

Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) at Lake Ashton by Lee

Yellow-eyed Penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) by Ian juvenile

Great Blue Heron Juvenile at Saddle Creek by Lee

Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) juvenile by Quy Tran

Juvenile Bald Eagle

Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) Juvenile by Ian

Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) Juvenile by Ian

Juvenile in Flight by Anthony

Avian mother’s are finished with that batch. Unlike human mothers whose work has just begun, and will continue through every stage of their children’s lives, even into their grandchildren’s lives.

Happy Mother’s Day!!

“Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.” (Proverbs 23:22 NKJV)

“A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish man despises his mother.” (Proverbs 15:20 NKJV)