The other day I witnessed a blue jay offering his/her soul mate a peanut, while they perched on a stand that supports a bird feeder in my rooftop garden. Seeing these birds feeding each other prompted me to do some research! Here's some info on the matter (according to Silalis):
1. This might (one bird feeding another) be to "test" the male's ability to forage and provide for young. It could be an indicator of the odds of successfully breeding. It can occur during copulation, nestbuilding and/or egg laying.
2. Or it might be to reinforce or maintain a pair bond.
3. Another option is it might be to increase a female's fitness by providing her with extra food, which probably increases the quality of her eggs or may advance the laying date.
That's food for thought!
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