Question (1 Viewer)

Hi everyone! Last night I came home from a concert and realized that the mama bird wasn't on the nest. I was just wondering if the baby robins don't need to be sat on at a certin point. I don't think the mom or dad sat on the nest the entire night. All four chicks are still alive though. And I have seen both the mom and dad feeding them this morning.

For most passerines, the incubating/brooding parent (some female only, others it's shared duty though not necessarily equal) will spend the night on/at the nest. That said, during the early period of their development, when essentially feather-free, altricial young are largely incapable of thermoregulating and require brooding (or shading) depending upon ambient temperatures. As they develop and become more feathered, they become more thermo-capable so you frequently observe far less brooding by the parent(s). On a warm evening (or even fairly cool) they may not require brooding ... often parental attendance also serves an anti-predator function as well.

Thanks for the info