We have lift-off. The first nestling hatched just after midnight early this morning and took their first feed (a red-rumped parrot) at 730 ish this morning. The youngster is looking strong and healthy, being already able to hold their head high and take food.
The other two eggs are still to hatch, hopefully within the next few days. With this couple we have only ever had two eggs hatch at the most. I’m not sure why…perhaps Xavier doesn’t fertilised the third egg. When I’ve checked non-viable eggs at the end of the season, it’s usually not been fertilised.
You might be wondering why I’m calling it a ‘nestling’ as opposed to a ‘chick’. Well, strictly speaking a chick is one that is born/hatched able to see and move about fairly independently (known as a precocial chick). These usually leave the nest within a few days. Those that are born/hatched blind and highly dependent on their parents (sometimes naked, but not in our case) are usually referred to as nestlings (the technical term being ‘altricial’).
Once we know whether we have one, two or three chicks, you will have the opportunity to help select their names (which will be in the local Aboriginal language, Wiradjuri), so watch this space.
Here are the two videos:
First hatch:
First feed: