Nocturnal incubation recess and flushing behavior by duck hens.

ABSTRACT: Incubating birds must balance the needs of their developing embryos with their own physiological needs, and many birds accomplish this by taking periodic breaks from incubation. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and gadwall (Mareca strepera) hens typically take incubation recesses in the early morning and late afternoon, but recesses can also take place at night. We examined nocturnal incubation recess behavior for mallard and gadwall hens nesting in Suisun Marsh, California, USA, using iButton temperature dataloggers and continuous video monitoring at nests. Fourteen percent of all detected incubation recesses (N = 13,708) were nocturnal and took place on 20% of nest-days (N = 8,668). Video monitoring showed that hens covered their eggs with down feathers when they

SUBMITTER: Croston R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8216913 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature