Songbird

Cowbirds were in the front yard today. I shooed them away from the holly bush which I'm quite certain has a hermit thrush nest in it. Called parasites, a cow bird will lay its eggs in another birds' nest; leaving the host family to raise its young along with their own chicks.
Perhaps they are on to something. Sure, they miss the chick's formative years, their first peeps, learning to ride a bicycle, their first haircut and the like, but on the other hand, the surrogate parents have to gather extra grubs, foot the bill for college, and, expensive orthodontia.
Why do the hosts put up with this? I suppose it's just too hard to explain where that extra egg came from. Picture the scene in which the male bird returns to the nest and finds the new chick.
"Are you sure it's mine?" He squawks incredulously, "it doesn't look a thing like me."
"Of course it's yours," retorts the wife, "don't you trust me?
"Besides," she adds, "when would I have time for an affair? I'm stuck at home sitting on these eggs all day!"
"I don't know, it just seems fishy to me."
"Like you know fishy. Go get me some more worms."

song: Songbird • artist: Fleetwood Mac