With some of this thrown in:
Google-the-scientist tells me that she does this to keep them evenly warming, and also to keep the developing embryo from sticking to the egg. Google also told me about the brood patch, which some birds develop during nesting season, in which they end up with a bare patch on their stomach that is hidden by feathers when flying, but can be bared so that the warm bare skin can be in direct contact with the eggs. In the above picture, you can see some of her feathers sticking out past her wing - I assume these are the feathers she can move aside in order to bare her brood patch.
Where's the papa, you ask?
Beaking us off every time we try to use our own deck.
He was never very far away, and he was the most vocal if she was startled off her nest. The dog got to the point where she would hear him beaking off and start barking at him from inside the house. She's used to him now, though, or maybe he's used to her.
2 comments:
Ha - I just figured something out. Every morning when I walk to the gym, there is a robin that sings to me from a balcony as I pass the condos close to our house. I wondered why he consistently sits there and sings. But now I wonder if it's the papa protecting his brood. I'll have to look for a nest.
I just now found my way here.
I'm slow.
We had Robins' nests several times, so I saw the papa guarding and got chewed out every time I went on my own patio, but we never did see inside, so this is cool.
Oh, and then - sad story- there was the day we found a wee naked birdling lying on the patio floor. I picked it up in something and dumped it back in the nest. I talked positive talk to the kids, but didn't feel so much positive myself. I wasn't even sure I put it in the right nest! I just put it in the nearest.
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