30 birdsandblooms.com FEBRUARY I MARCH 2021

Showing Love

with Food

A cedar waxwing pair

(left) cozies up on a

branch, passing a berry

back and forth until one

of them swallows it.

Below, a male northern

cardinal feeds a female,

proving that he’s able

to feed a family.

W

HEN BIRDS COUPLE UP, it’s no thanks to Cupid.

Instead, some species pull out all the stops to impress

a potential mate—from feeding and preening to elaborate

dances and feather displays. In honor of Valentine’s Day,

indulge in these adorable photos and impressive truths

about the courtship behaviors of birds.