"Feathers of Kindness”: Mistle Thrush ‘Adopts’ Orphaned Blackbird Chick

In a serene Lydbury North paddock, wildlife photographer Andrew Fusek-Peters captured an almost mythical scene: a female mistle thrush tenderly feeding an orphaned blackbird chick as if it were her own. This rare act of interspecific compassion reminds us that kindness knows no boundaries.

“Birds of a feather usually flock together, but a lucky blackbird was ‘adopted’ by a mistle thrush mama who took the juvenile ‘under her wing’ in a rare case of inter-species feeding,” Fusek-Peters told Good News Network.

Ecologists explain that the chick’s open mouth triggers a maternal response in nearby female birds, but such a cross-species gesture is nearly unheard of. “It is known to happen but it almost never gets photographed—and I’ve not known of a mistle thrush and a blackbird doing this before,” he said.

The mistle thrush (Turdus viscivorus), typically shy and solitary, paused feeding her own brood to extend a worm to the orphan, patiently alternating between her chicks and the fledgling. Photographer Fusek-Peters estimates the blackbird chick’s mother may have perished, leaving it vulnerable until this remarkable encounter.

After his discovery, Fusek-Peters notified local conservation groups, ensuring the chick’s ongoing care. His images now tour a new exhibit on UK bird conservation, raising awareness and funds for protecting nesting habitats and safeguarding more stories of compassion in the wild.

Source: Good News Network