28 May, 2004
Day 38
Pickle is still a nestling. You can see in the pictures below that Sherbet
stands upright, confidently, while Pickle crouches and is very unsure of
himself (still not certain of Pickle's sex actually -- now I am starting
to think Pickle is she due to the white rim around the nostrils).
All budgies love to preen each other and to be preened. This is demonstrated
in the bottom picture. Sherbet is cleaning all of the little feathers around
Pickle's face.
Speaking of feathers, this picture illustrates the
"hairy" feathers that the birds have on the chests and bellies. These are
very different from their wing and tail feathers. Presumably these are
designed to insulate and to make the body sleek in flight. The wing
feathers are much tougher and more rigid. The individual little barbs on
the wing feathers hold tightly together to provide a strong wing for flight.
Sherbet is now a more confident flyer. She flies around and around the room
and lands on a variety of surfaces. We are still handling her frequently to
ensure that she thinks people are part of the family.
Pickle
Sherbet
The siblings.
Preening session.