Parental Care
When parents take care of their babies to help them survive.
What is it?
Parental care is any behavior that helps offspring survive. It includes building nests, feeding, protecting, and teaching young animals. The Spur-winged Plover shows strong parental care: it uses its wing spurs to defend its chicks from predators. The Saddle-billed Stork also shows parental care: both parents build the nest, incubate the eggs, and feed the chicks. Many birds, mammals, and even some insects care for their young. The Sarus Crane also practices cooperative breeding: both parents build the nest, incubate the eggs, and raise the chicks together. This is common among cranes and helps ensure the chicks survive.
Why it matters
Parental care increases the chances that babies will grow up healthy. It also helps us understand how animals have evolved to protect their families.
Where you've seen it
This list grows as you capture more exhibits about parental care.
