Ian McLean Green Scene Spokesperson for the Green Party

Head out into your garden right now, and you should find baby silvereyes, sparrows, starlings and blackbirds. A few gardens will have grey warblers, fantails or tui. Any garden with some lush vegetation should have babies in it right now.

Chicks of urban and garden birds live in a world full of cats and other dangers, and are not conspicuous. So the best way to find them is to listen for calling that is high pitched and continuously demanding, and watch for adults carrying food.

Tui chicks began appearing in Tauranga gardens from the beginning of this month. They are noisy and quite easy to find. But the parents abandon them after one-two weeks, so there is only a short period to watch the family.

Check out your local pond and you should find young mallard ducks. If you are really lucky you might find the most beautiful ducklings of all, baby paradise ducks.

The tern chicks on the Turret Rd Bridge began hatching at the end of November and are already big, fluffy and photogenic. There are shag chicks in nests at Yatton Park, on Mission Point in the central city, and on Mauao. You need binoculars to see them.

Head up to Otanewainuku to see baby robins and tomtits – and if you're very lucky, a shining cuckoo being fed by its host grey warblers. Cuckoo chicks are fed for about a month and are leaving the nest right now.

Watching parents of any species nurture their young is a great experience for children and a joy for adults too. At Christmas, we celebrate life and family, and the birds in your garden are doing it too. Why not head out to see who has babies today.

Contact: Ian G. McLean, 021 547556, 07 5794670, ian.mclean@greens.org.nz

Authorized by Jon Field, Level 2, 17 Garrett Street, Wellington