Rosita Cipolla A mistle thrush was photographed feeding an orphaned blackbird chick in the wild—an incredibly rare act of interspecies adoption.
@Andrew Fusek Peters
Sometimes, nature doesn’t just surprise us—it completely disarms us. That’s exactly what happened in a quiet field in North Shropshire, England, where wildlife photographer Andrew Fusek-Peters captured something few people ever witness, let alone manage to document: a mistle thrush mother feeding an orphaned blackbird chick as if it were her own.
In a world where survival often feels ruthless, this rare moment of inter-species compassion is nothing short of astonishing. Fusek-Peters, 59, who specializes in photographing birds in the wild, was just over 16 feet (5 meters) away when he spotted the heartwarming scene. Using his camera’s zoom, he managed to photograph the mistle thrush sharing food not only with her own offspring, but also with the young blackbird that had somehow been accepted into her care.
Love knows no species
The series of photographs shows the adult mistle thrush dutifully feeding her biological chicks before turning to the blackbird, waiting nearby with fluffed-up feathers and wide-open beak. Despite the obvious physical differences between the species, the adoptive mother didn’t hesitate—she offered the same care and attention to the blackbird as she did to her own.
Fusek-Peters later said he was deeply moved by what he saw. While this behavior is known to ornithologists, documenting it so clearly and so closely is extraordinarily rare, particularly between a mistle thrush and a blackbird.
A shared feeding routine
In the photos, a rhythm emerges. The mistle thrush feeds her chicks first, then turns her attention to the blackbird chick, delivering a wriggling worm straight from her beak. The little blackbird waits its turn, seemingly understanding its place in this unusual but life-saving routine.
This act of care isn’t just symbolic—it’s vital. At this stage, young birds, just a few weeks old, are still heavily reliant on parental feeding even after they’ve left the nest. The mistle thrush’s intervention likely meant the difference between life and death for the orphaned chick.
A rare but real phenomenon
Interspecies adoption among birds, while not unheard of, is still considered unusual in the wild. Experts say it can happen when an adult bird’s parental instincts are triggered by a chick in need, regardless of species.
In this case, the mistle thrush didn’t just feed the blackbird once out of instinct—she incorporated it into the ongoing care routine of her brood. It’s a level of behavioral complexity that challenges our assumptions about animal instincts and highlights the depth of what we might call empathy in the animal kingdom.
Why these images matter
Fusek-Peters didn’t just capture a touching moment—he documented something with real scientific value. These images provide a rare glimpse into a behavior that usually goes unnoticed, offering scientists and the general public a deeper understanding of how birds sometimes respond with compassion, not competition.
His work also serves a broader purpose. By showing these intimate, often hidden moments in nature, wildlife photography helps bridge the gap between science and emotion. It encourages us to look more closely, to question more deeply, and maybe, to care a little more.
