It's the time of year - at least where I am in the Eastern US - that we're infested with the most hideous little animals possible: baby birds.
Fortunately, usually they're well hidden, but last year, a nest of robins rudely took up residence right next to my back patio table. Take a look:
Isn't that enough to spoil your appetite? What is it with baby birds? Every other baby animal is adorable. Even little baby snakes are adorable - if you don't believe me, look at this one:
Come on, even if you're not crazy about snakes, don't you just want to kiss its eensy weensy wittle tiny cheeks? Compare that to those baby birds from an even more horrific angle:
There is one bright side, though, which is that they look like that for a very short time. Here's one of those guys only about a week later, looking like it's ready to fill out its college applications:
By the way, if you see one of these teenage birds flopping around on the ground in your yard, be aware that you probably don't need to "rescue" it. Unless it can't move or is obviously injured, you're just watching its clumsy attempts to learn to fly. Scores of overworked wildlife rehabilitators across the country would appreciate it if you don't catch up perfectly healthy baby birds and call them in a panic when you realize that you don't have a clue what to do.
(P.S. Ahoy! I am Wombat (no relation) and I am honored to be helping carry on the grand tradition of Ugly Overload. You can read my ravings about the ugly behavior (not always entirely safe for work) of our fellow creatures at my blog, where you will learn never to trust a pretty animal face.)
Jun 18, 2010
Faces Only a Mother Could Love
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8 comments:
OH GOD BABY SNAKE.
please excuse me, my head has exploded into candy.
Aw, baby Skeksis. They could use a good ol' fashioned merging with some Mystics.
I think it's true what they say: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I would have no problem kissing those little bird faces! The snake? I'll pass. Something tells me it will grow up to be an animal behaving badly. :-D
Well, that's a green tree python, and to be honest, they are in fact bad tempered even as babies. But, still, no bigger than a pencil!
LOL see I think the baby snake is adorable but really young birds are all kinds of ugly. ;) As someone who has worked with birds of prey - their behavior is often ugly as well. :) XD I once helped raise a nest of baby crows - LOUD!
I don't much care for the adult version of most birds, so these babies are not at all attractive to me. The snake, I would tolerate until it got big enough to chew on my leg.
Too funny! That's why I appreciate the titmouse and wren families in my yard: at least they have the decency to nest in cavities (dead trees or birdhouses)!
Right you are about the "baby animals" observation-- looking at baby birds, with those mouths agape just reminds me how much work it is to raise a kid
Actually I own a green tree python thats 3 years old and as sweet as can be, he's never itten a single person. Just have to work with them :)
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