Most birds pair for one or more breeding cycles. The Pink-necked Pigeon (Treron vernans) however, pair for life LINK.
1. The pair cooperates in nest building. The male flies in the nesting materials, pass them on to the female at the nest site who will then construct the nest LINK.
2. After the female lays the eggs, the male will incubate them during the daylight hours while the female takes over the night duty LINK. The nest is thus never left unguarded 24 hours a day.
3. When the chicks are hatched, brooding is undertaken by both. Again, the male takes the daylight shift and the female the night shift LINK.
4. When the chicks fledge, both look after the fledglings until they are able to fend for themselves. The fledglings are shown where to find food, where to roost and how to recognise and avoid potential predators.
5. During evenings when the pair is not in breeding mode, they usually sit close together on a branch and indulge in comfort behaviour that includes preening, scratching or just soaking in the rain LINK.
6. During pre-roosting gatherings, the pair may interact separately with others but invariable, (I suppose) they will come together LINK.
7. During roosting, the pair will invariably perch together on a branch or at the most perch nearby LINK.
Note: Although many birds form long-term pair bonds, under certain circumstances they do sometimes divorce, see HERE.
YC Wee
Singapore
24th December 2018
