Which parent sits on the nest?

Only the female incubates the eggs. She has a featherless area on her abdomen called a brood patch, which is specifically designed to keep the eggs warm. The male's job is to bring food for the mother, until the chicks are hatched and old enough that she can also hunt.

Show All Answers

1. Do great horned owls and ospreys mate for life?
2. No one is sitting on the eggs or young. Won’t they get cold?
3. How come one egg of the clutch hasn’t hatched when the others have?
4. Which parent sits on the nest?
5. Why is the bigger chick picking on the little one?
6. Are the birds in danger of freezing to death on cold nights?
7. Why is the bird standing on one leg?
8. Do you ever intervene if one chick is not doing well?