>Such interspecies adoptions appear to have become more common in recent years
Or humans have been noticing them more. If this happened every year in a deserted area then nobody would know. Equally if some yokel saw it happening regularly in the past, they probably wouldn't have contacted anyone who would publish it to the world. They also probably were not carrying a camera in their pocket.
I agree that the phrasing lacks some self-awareness. It can well be true that pairings of this nature are only just becoming common, but the cuckoo is infamous for parasitically getting other host avians to rear it while a fledging.
Or humans have been noticing them more. If this happened every year in a deserted area then nobody would know. Equally if some yokel saw it happening regularly in the past, they probably wouldn't have contacted anyone who would publish it to the world. They also probably were not carrying a camera in their pocket.