Source: David Tan on Facebook
A feisty juvenile bird refused to leave its nest in Chinese Garden despite being old enough to take flight.
In a display of impatience, the bird even “attacked” its parent while being fed.
Source: David Tan on Facebook
61-year-old retiree David Tan captured the domestic drama last Sunday (26 April), featuring a Coppersmith barbet family that created a nest in a tree.
Mr Tan told MS News that the juvenile barbet he saw had well-developed wings and was “already the same size as the adults”.
Typically, this would mean it was the right time for the bird to leave the nest.
However, the juvenile opted not to.
Source: David Tan on Facebook
Mr Tan explained that when the fledglings are ready to leave home, the parents will stop feeding them. The juvenile barbet thus got hungry and very impatient.
“One of the loving parents continued to feed them but at longer intervals,” he said.
The juvenile got so upset and hungry that it ended up attacking its parent.
Image courtesy of David Tan
After being pecked, the parent barbet quickly flew off, leaving Mr Tan amused at the family drama.
Source: David Tan on Facebook
“You know lah, teenagers,” one netizen joked in the comments section.
Source: Facebook
Numerous others laughed about how unfilial the juvenile barbet was.
Mr Tan told MS News that this behaviour was actually quite common in most bird species.
He suspected that this particular juvenile lacked the confidence to fly and thus decided to keep getting cared for at home.
Other than providing food, the barbet parent also cleaned up waste left behind by the juvenile.
Image courtesy of David Tan
Also read: S’pore juvenile peregrine falcon fumbles mid-air catch after father’s ‘baton pass’ of pigeon
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Featured image adapted from David Tan on Facebook.