Both pairs were perched close to each other in the coconut tree in our garden, with the two, whose bird calls were least audible but visible with opening of beaks and chest movements kept moving places. The other of the pair moved to accompany. On one occasion all the four were on the same location calling out to each other.
Both tree pies whose bird calls were not audible, looked smaller in size.
The last one left after each of them flew away keenly observed the direction of the other three. This too left in the same direction after a short while.
Considering that the breeding time of the Tree pies are April and May months and the eggs hatch in about two weeks, I suspect that the four tree pies are from the same family the two adult birds and the other two being younger. The two are likely to be the adults of the original family and the other two are the fledglings now growing up as two of them were only weekly audible in their bird calls.
If that assumption is reasonable, then one aspect of 'parenting' is worth noticing. Each adult pairs with a fledgling and accompanies initially till it is ready to be independent. I noticed that the adult who had a normal bird call made a call to which the other two who had weaker bird calls responded and flew away together. The other 'older bird' stayed till the other three crossed the field and then flew in the same direction!
Now that it is raining, I wonder whether they would return to follow the flight path in our garden!
What a delight to make reasonable assumptions to understand bird behaviours during nesting and afterwards!
That is why a garden is instructional and not just ornamental alone!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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