When we think about birds and nesting, we automatically think spring. But recently photographing a ruby-throated hummingbird nest made me think, no, not all birds are nesting right away in spring.

When the cuckoo chick hatches, it ejects other eggs or hatchlings to get all the space—and food—for itself. Hungry as a whole brood, the outsize baby devours everything brought by its foster ...

The babies hatch out just at the right time, when there is lots of food for them to ... start a discussion on what bird parents do to make sure their eggs hatch and baby birds grow.