Today's Feature Attraction Poem by Loyd C Taylor Sr

Factual information:

Birds learn how to fly much like a human toddler learns to walk: a combination of instinct and practice. Not all birds are instinctive flyers, however. Flightless birds, such as penguins and ostriches, no longer have the instinct to imitate their airborne cousins. Newborns of bird species that do fly, such as pigeons or hummingbirds, have an innate sense that it is a natural act. Compare this to an human baby who instinctively understands that standing upright is a natural goal to achieve.

Most birds cannot fly until their muscle structure has had time to develop. In the meantime, the nest becomes their entire world. Baby birds are not responsible for food gathering or protection of the nest, so they generally develop a psychological dependence that must be overcome. Parent birds begin to teach their fledglings the importance of flying by remaining a short distance away from the nest during feeding. If the young birds are to survive, they must step away from the nest. Frequently, this means a few hard falls to the ground followed a long trip back to the safety of the nest.

Taken from the web site 'Wisegeek.

Author's notes: One morning I had pulled into our driveway and as I got out of the car and started to my front door, I noticed this amazing event unfolding before my eyes, baby birds learning to fly.
I love nature and birds are one of my favorite creatures to watch. I have literally spent hours sitting on the porch, reading and meditating with a coffee in hand while listening to and occasionally watching these beautiful creatures. Loyd