Crested eagles, scientifically known as Morphnus guianensis, are one of the largest eagles in the Americas, but they are also one of the most difficult to see due to their elusive nature. While little is known about their behavior, researchers have observed some interesting insights into their nesting and egg-laying habits.
Vulturii cu creasta își abandonează ouăle?
The short answer is that there is no definitive evidence to suggest that crested eagles abandon their eggs. However, there are some observations that suggest they may abandon one of their eggs in certain circumstances.
Crested eagles typically lay 1-2 eggs, but researchers have never documented a nest with more than one young at a time. This suggests that the crested eagle may abandon one of its eggs or that the second egg rarely hatches. The reasons for this behavior are not entirely clear, but it could be due to resource scarcity or other environmental factors.
Crested Eagle Nesting Behavior
Sursa imaginii: Vulturul cu creasta lungă De Charles J. Sharp
Crested eagles build large nests, often in the central fork of a large tree, using sticks to construct a huge platform. The female lays between 1-2 eggs, which are cream-colored and sometimes marked with pale brown and lilac-gray spots.
The incubation period for crested eagle eggs is 40-50 days, during which the female spends the majority of her time caring for the eggs while the male brings her food. When the young nestling hatches, it is covered in soft, pale down and relies on its mother to help it stay at just the right temperature through brooding.
The female remains very close to the nest, guarding it and her young, while the male catches enough food to feed himself, the female, and the nestling.
Factors That May Influence Egg Abandonment
While there is no direct evidence of crested eagles abandoning their eggs, there are a few factors that may contribute to this behavior:
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Resource Scarcity: If food or other resources are scarce, the crested eagle may choose to focus its efforts on raising a single offspring, rather than dividing its resources between two.
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Viabilitatea ouălor: If one of the eggs fails to hatch or is not viable, the crested eagle may choose to abandon it and focus its attention on the surviving offspring.
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Predation Risks: Crested eagles are known to be elusive and secretive, and they may abandon their nest if they perceive a high risk of predation.
Concluzie
In conclusion, while there is no definitive evidence that crested eagles abandon their eggs, the available information suggests that it is a possibility, particularly in cases of resource scarcity or when one of the eggs is not viable. More research is needed to fully understand the nesting and egg-laying behavior of this fascinating bird species.
Referinte:
– Canopy Tower. (2022-09-23). Nesting Behavior of a Crested Eagle Observed for the First Time in Panama. Retrieved from https://canopytower.com/nesting-behavior-of-a-crested-eagle-observed-for-the-first-time-in-panama/
– The Peregrine Fund. (n.d.). Crested Serpent-eagle. Retrieved from https://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/eagles/crested-serpent-eagle
– New York State Parks and Historic Sites Blog. (2017-01-24). The Return of the Eagle. Retrieved from https://nystateparks.blog/2017/01/24/the-return-of-the-eagle/
– The Peregrine Fund. (2021-08-02). Crested Eagle. Retrieved from https://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/eagles/crested-eagle
