Just saw something kind of amazing

. I keep thinking I’m seeing Rooster and Raisin, the babies, flying around. And why wouldn’t it be them?
Well just now I saw a hummer land, looked like a young or female broadbill. And then another one landed next to it, same colors. And then the one that landed started feeding the other—did it twice.
Ok. So we are about 8 weeks out of fledging. And she’s still feeding. And as I thought about it it made a lot of sense. Of *course* she’s still feeding. How on earth are they supposed to fledge and then be able to just feed themselves enough to survive, know where to go, etc.
I’ve seen passerines teaching their babies flying and feeding. I’ve seen juvenile sparrows begging to be fed when they are surrounded by food. Saw a mom hold the food for her baby right next to the ground to get him moving his head in the direction of where the food was. She was still feeding him but made him put his head right next to the ground to eat it—talk about hand-holding!
Anyway—that was neat to see the hummers and to think about how long their relationship might last—how long she feeds them, etc. I don’t know how long bird families typically last, for hummers at least. I’m guess maybe about a year? Florida scrub jays are very unusual that siblings will help feed younger siblings. Pretty sure crows and ravens don’t even do that, but jays are in that family—the family of the smarties!
Anyway, I’m rambling!