Consider the birds - The Family

There are, indeed, varieties of "family life" in the animal kingdom, and the world of birds is no exception. Take, for instance, the brown-headed cowbird. This bird will lay her eggs ... in another bird’s nest. It’s called "parasitic behavior", because she will lay the eggs and leave them to be raised by the other birds. Sometimes the unsuspecting mother will raise the new hatchling to the exclusion of her own. Sometimes she will recognize it as not her own and kick it out before her own can be endangered. But the cowbird doesn’t care. Lay 'em and leave 'em – that's her approach.

Parasitic birds are rare. More commonly, birds are good parents. Northern cardinals, for instance, mate for life. They will raise up to 5 different broods in one season. The mother bird will sit on the nest while the father bird gathers food for her and, when the time comes, her hatchlings. They even develop their own song. She will sing it from the nest, apparently telling her mate, "Pick up eggs and bread on your way back" or the like. Once her current brood reaches nearly the self-sustaining phase, the male will take over watching them while the female flies off to start the next one. That’s teamwork.

Birds are often clever or even vicious defenders of their babies. The killdeer is well known for her antics. She makes her nest typically in tall grass. If a predator comes in her direction, she will fly off in a random direction and then flop to the ground, pretending to be injured. She hopes to lure the threat away from her babies toward herself. The idea is that just before the hungry beast catches her, she will suddenly fly to safety herself. Other birds will attack all who come near their babies. Look around sometime. Mockingbirds will dive at predators, including cats and even people, in an effort to chase them away. It is not uncommon to see a large raptor such as a red-tailed hawk being harassed by a group of smaller birds defending their nests. Normally these birds would be lunch, but it’s time to defend their homes, so watch out Mr. Hawk! I watched once as a hawk landed on an embankment in of a river and was set upon by half a dozen crows. They came on in coordinated attack, swooping from different directions, never colliding, but forcing the hawk to duck and dodge until he finally gave up and left. And pity the bird that comes near the black-necked stilt’s nest during the spring. If the squawking doesn't warn them off, the relentless attacks should. And being a human doesn’t make you immune. They will take on all comers.

People display the same types of characteristics. There are a few who could easily abandon their offspring to be raised by others. More commonly, the very nature of the parent is changed by parenthood. They often change from self-centered, sophisticated people to cooing parents. Their homes change from adult to "child-proof". Their lifestyles change from outgoing to homebound. And heaven help you if you threaten their child in any way. When they pull out that list of photos, you must respond with admiration because this, after all, is the best baby ever to enter the human race.

Times, they are a’changing, however. Where it used to be unusual for parents to abandon their children, it is becoming more common. By the millions they are intentionally killed prior to birth in abortion clinics. Some view pregnancy as a "medical condition" rather than a blessing. Once they are born, an unusual high number of unwed mothers leave them in trash bins or give them up for adoption. As they grow up, they become viewed as limiting factors to success. Whereas older cultures viewed motherhood as the ultimate for any woman, our culture is viewing a career as the ultimate at the cost of children. Fathers suffer from a similar malady, thinking that their children are best served by their absence as they earn money rather than their presence as they father their children.

Perhaps we ought to take a lesson from the birds. Perhaps we should see offspring as a goal rather than a burden. Perhaps we should remember that children are a blessing, not a curse. Perhaps we can use this opportunity to learn selflessness rather than enhancing our own self-centered goals. Perhaps.