from NCTC Role of the Nest & Impact on the Family Unit

Role of the Nest & Impact on the Family Unit

Remember to look at a bird's nest as an evolutionary scientist. The nest is a platform for egg incubation and nestling growth. The longer the adults sit in the nest with eggs or with their young they are vulnerable to predation, parasites, disease and to the weather. Adults are not eating much to boot when confined to sitting in a nest.

The longer the eggs and hatchlings sit in the nest they are vulnerable to the same factors. The young have to balance the threat of staying in the nest to the benefits of being able to move freely in the open environment while still learning to fly and feed, which are instinctual developments in most birds, they are not learned from their parents.

Predators (and the many nest parasites) can smell and see nests and their contents (predators are legion - owls, snakes, raccoons, bears, fire ants, even squirrels, rats). Young can not stay in the nest indefinitely or they will get eaten by predators (and get infested with parasites) or succumb to dehydration from not drinking free water for 10-12 weeks. That is why eagles don't incubate in the middle of the summer, the eggs and young would cook and dehydrate (35 days incubation, 10-12 weeks post-hatching). All moisture must come from their food while they are confined to the nest - true of all altricial birds from eagles to robins. Fresh fish are very moist - so are a great eagle nestling food, as are fresh caterpillars for the nestlings of small birds.

As a result of all these factors, most altricial birds leave nests very quickly, even before they can fly well or feed themselves on their own. Staying in the nest is far too risky. Better not get too comfortable sitting around in one spot. The world is trying to kill you - better to take a chance early in your development and explore the available environment to find better cover, food, water, and any companionship from your kind or other allies which might help protect you from predators.

Best,

Jim

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Jim Siegel, PhD
Ecology Curriculum Manager

Branch of Conservation Science, Training Division
National Conservation Training Center
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
698 Conservation Way
Shepherdstown, WV 25443 USA

Deb on Facebook got this in a email

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https://www.outdoorchannel.com/live/eaglecam/326707/0 click on it for Outdoor channel NCTC eagle nest link bookmark on main page is no longer good. If you choose to comment PLEASE be respectful and NO SPAM or ADS or LINKS they will be deleted and reported if offensive THANKS Using blog as a way to record pic and videos We have them on FB but those are groups you must join This is for all public to see We previously used this as a communication blog but no longer since our Matriarch Jo died. JO you are missed. This blog was started because of her in 2006 She loved it so! Nest has been around since 2004! I am sure JO will approve of the blog being used like this Well at least I hope so! “Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battles"-----------