Why is the bigger chick picking on the little one?

This is a natural behavior for nestlings. Sometimes, the aggression is essentially play-fighting, a way for them to practice and hone their skills. Other times, especially when food is scarce, aggression can lead to siblicide. Also, if the parents can sense that one chick is doing better than the other, they may focus all their food, attention, and energy into ensuring that the healthy chick survives. The older chicks may be the only one to survive.

Show All Answers

1. Do great horned owls and ospreys mate for life?
2. No one is sitting on the eggs or young. Won’t they get cold?
3. How come one egg of the clutch hasn’t hatched when the others have?
4. Which parent sits on the nest?
5. Why is the bigger chick picking on the little one?
6. Are the birds in danger of freezing to death on cold nights?
7. Why is the bird standing on one leg?
8. Do you ever intervene if one chick is not doing well?