Okay, since you asked.....
Here are the pictures of my rehab baby's reunion with his family. This is really special because very few people (even rehabbers) get to see a little rehab patient released directly back to his own parents and siblings.
For those new (to me) people who haven't heard this story before, the rehab baby, Juicer, did not fledge successfully when his nestmates did. Upon close examination after he did not fly for the 2nd day in a row, I saw that his wing feathers were either missing completely or were pretty tattered-looking. There was no way he would be able to fly until new feathers were grown, so he spent nearly 6 weeks in rehab where he absolutely refused to gape for food. He had to be force-fed until he began picking up food on his own (you see, at 21 days old, he knew he was NOT supposed to be accepting food from a very large two-legged creature).
Anyway, when he received a clean bill of health and was flying well in the aviary and picking up his own bugs, he was ready for release. I placed his cage out by the mealworm feeder hoping that he would observe the other birds and see where meals were served. I no more walked back into the house than Juicer's parents (who already had their second brood in the nestbox) and his siblings came immediately to his cage - and, in fact, his Mama was desperate to get to him. And Juicer, bless his little heart, was gaping frantically at her and at his Papa - after refusing to gape for 6 entire weeks! There is no doubt in my mind that they knew each other after being separated for a month and a half, and it is simply the most amazing thing I've ever witnessed.
Don't ever let anyone tell you that birds don't communicate with each other, or understand familial relationships...it just isn't so!
Here are the pictures of my rehab baby's reunion with his family. This is really special because very few people (even rehabbers) get to see a little rehab patient released directly back to his own parents and siblings.
For those new (to me) people who haven't heard this story before, the rehab baby, Juicer, did not fledge successfully when his nestmates did. Upon close examination after he did not fly for the 2nd day in a row, I saw that his wing feathers were either missing completely or were pretty tattered-looking. There was no way he would be able to fly until new feathers were grown, so he spent nearly 6 weeks in rehab where he absolutely refused to gape for food. He had to be force-fed until he began picking up food on his own (you see, at 21 days old, he knew he was NOT supposed to be accepting food from a very large two-legged creature).
Anyway, when he received a clean bill of health and was flying well in the aviary and picking up his own bugs, he was ready for release. I placed his cage out by the mealworm feeder hoping that he would observe the other birds and see where meals were served. I no more walked back into the house than Juicer's parents (who already had their second brood in the nestbox) and his siblings came immediately to his cage - and, in fact, his Mama was desperate to get to him. And Juicer, bless his little heart, was gaping frantically at her and at his Papa - after refusing to gape for 6 entire weeks! There is no doubt in my mind that they knew each other after being separated for a month and a half, and it is simply the most amazing thing I've ever witnessed.
Don't ever let anyone tell you that birds don't communicate with each other, or understand familial relationships...it just isn't so!
me out here.....I'm old, tired and need a reminder! 
and you all are trying to suck me in to your ways....I won't stand for it, I just won't!
