Page 97 - One Million Things: Animal Life - The Incredible Visual Guide

SWAN
Ground-nesting birds
hatch from eggs in a
well-developed state
and are soon moving
around. They still receive
parental care, however.
They usually follow their
parent, and sometimes, as
in the case of swans, are
carried on a parent’s back.

BLUE TIT GOLDEN STINK BUG
The young of tree-nesting birds, such as blue tits, hatch blind, naked, While bees and other social
and helpless. Both parents spend all day finding insects to feed their insects look after the young
offsprings’ wide-open beaks so the brood grows and develops rapidly. in their colony, most insects
just lay eggs and leave them
to hatch. However, the golden
stink bug guards her eggs
and stands over the young
hatchlings to protect them
from predators.

SEAHORSE
Around a quarter of fish species
show parental care, often by
the male. Female seahorses, for
example, lay their eggs in a brood
pouch on the front of the male’s
body, where they are incubated
until they hatch.

ALLIGATOR
Aside from the few lizards and snakes that guard their
eggs, alligators and their relatives are the only reptiles
to show parental care. Having laid her eggs, a female COLLARED POISON FROG
guards the nest until they hatch. She then protects her Some frogs lay a small number of eggs and guard
young until they are old enough to be independent. them until, and sometimes after, hatching. The male
collared poison frog stays with the eggs until they
hatch, then carries the tadpoles to a nearby stream
to complete their development.

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