Never seen male in/near nestbox (2 Viewers)

[Relevantbarnacle]

Have 2 nestboxes with nests and about 8 eggs each, one blue tit and one great tit.

The female bird is now brooding the eggs pretty actively since laying them about 5 days ago. However on both nests they regularly leave the nest, i suppose to get food. I read that during brooding, the male bird is supposed to bring food to the female. However during the past 3 months I have never seen the male in or around the nest for either nest, and I'm watching very closely so I'd be amazed if I'd missed them.

Is this normal? Will they show up once the chicks hatch?

Thank you

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Interesting observation. Two possibilities come to mind; the male has died after mating, or has found a different mate. In the latter case, selfish gene theory could explain it as the new mate being a better “investment”, for example she has already laid more eggs, or is known to be more likely to have only mated with this male. As a result, for the male, this clutch is a bonus; any offspring produced are extra over and above his main pairing. Of course, something might happen to his main mate, in which case his best strategy would be to devote his care full time to this mate and brood. The take home message is that any description of bird behaviour is of a (more or less) typical individual; there will be plenty of variation about this.

 

[pianoman]

The sexes are hard to distinguish so is it possible that you are seeing the male sometimes and female others?

 

[Relevantbarnacle]

The sexes are hard to distinguish so is it possible that you are seeing the male sometimes and female others?

I really don't think so. The only one that comes into the nestbox is the one that sits on the eggs. I've never seen an exchange of food or anything like that. I do recall another bird there about 4 weeks ago but haven't seen that since