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A Bird Begins!
That chirping means something exciting is happening—a baby bird is growing up!
Birds may look small, but they go through some big changes. Just like you grow and learn new things, birds have their own life cycle with different stages.
Find out how a bird grows from a little egg to a grown-up bird that can fly and build a nest of its own!
Stage 1: The Egg
Every bird starts life inside an egg.
The mother bird finds a safe place and builds a nest out of twigs, leaves, or even grass. Then, she lays her eggs in the nest.
To keep the eggs warm, the mother bird sits on them. This is called incubating. She does this for about two weeks.
When the egg is warm and ready, the baby bird inside will hatch!
Stage 2: Nestling
The baby bird that hatches out is called a nestling. Nestlings can’t fly or feed themselves yet.
They are tiny and soft, and they need lots of care. The parent birds bring them food and keep them warm.
As nestlings grow, they start to grow feathers. Their little wings and bodies get stronger every day!
Stage 3: Fledgling
After about two weeks, the baby bird is now a fledgling. This means it has feathers and is learning how to fly.
The parent birds still help by bringing food and teaching it what to do.
Little by little, the fledgling learns how to flap its wings, fly, and even find its own food.
Stage 4: Adult Bird
Now the bird is all grown up!
Adult birds can build nests, fly, and find a mate. When spring comes, adult birds choose a partner, build a nest, and start the life cycle all over again by laying eggs.
Remember the Cycle!
A bird’s life cycle has four main stages.
egg
nestling
fledgling
adult
From tiny eggs to flying grown-ups, birds have an amazing life journey.
Now that you’ve learned all about it, practice in the Got It? section!
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