Kingbird Nest

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When I reached the Western Kingbird nest on the CyFair campus yesterday morning, it was empty. So the parents must have moved the chicks out over the weekend.

In previous years, the chicks moved down to small pine trees near the nest site and they stayed in these trees for several days, being fed and watched over by the parents.

Yesterday I carefully checked all the trees but couldn't see any birds. Then just as I was leaving, an adult Kingbird flew overhead and there was a burst of squawking from the top of one of the pines. I walked over and the noise immediately stopped. I examined every inch of the tree and could just make out part of a tail among the branches. I waited for 10 minutes but there was no movement and no more squawking. It seems that, young as they are, the chicks know to keep very still and quiet whenever a possible predator approaches. Good for them!
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