It’s too sweet to think of a pair of birds that mate for life, staying together even when they’re not raising chicks. However, such a setting is quite rare. Bird watchers have found that even birds considered monogamous, such as song sparrows, “cheat.” Males sometimes wake up early in the morning to do some work, and not all chicks raised by a “socially monogamous” couple have the same biological father. Even pairs that are biologically monogamous may not tell each other the time of day when the next breeding season approaches. Thus, these birds, which mate for life, have children only from this partner (in most cases) and choose another partner only when the first one disappears, they are special. Check out these 10 birds that mate for life!
# 10: Albatross
Some bird watchers believe that one of the reasons birds are monogamous is that their lifespan is so short that they don’t have time to care for a new male each breeding season. However, this is not the case for albatrosses, a seabird that swims over the sea or rests on the waves for most of its life and can live for more than half a century. Perhaps the albatross’s monogamy stems from its courtship dance, which is long, difficult, and tedious. Moreover, the albatross must perform the ritual with many potential partners until they find the “one”. After that, the dance no longer needs to be performed, and the birds are now helpers for life!
# 9: Black Vultures
The black vulture, found in the northeastern United States and South America, is the only representative of Coragips genus and can be distinguished from a turkey vulture not only by its black head, but also by its silhouette when it hovers. The wings of the black vulture are straight and the turkey vultures are V-shaped. The black vulture is not only monogamous, but also prefers the company of its kind and will fight unrelated vultures that try to join their flock.
# 8: Pasta Penguins
Pasta penguins with orange, yellow or black V-shaped ridges are found around Antarctica and in northern Chile, the Falkland Islands and other islands. In the fall, they come to islands in the South Atlantic to breed, and eventually these islands are covered by millions of birds whose guano can be felt from miles away. Since there are more males than females, chickens are choosy in choosing a mate.
Males engage in elaborate courtship rituals to court them, and when they pair up, they spend some time strengthening their bond by vocalizing, bowing, and preening each other. Females lay two eggs, but only one hatches, and both parents take care of the resulting chick. Although there are millions of these penguins, their conservation status is still considered vulnerable. This is likely due to climate change and overfishing of its prey, krill.
# 7: bald eagles
Like other birds that mate for life, bald eagles indulge in elaborate courtship rituals, including aerial demonstrations that involve two mating claws, cart spinning, and free fall, only to separate just before they fall to the ground. It’s like a trust exercise! After mating, the pair find a sturdy tree and build a huge nest with sticks that can reach 13 feet deep, 9 feet wide, and weigh over a ton. The female then lays two eggs on average. The chick that hatches first will sometimes kill the younger and weaker chick, but not always. If a bald eagle chick is full, it can gain six ounces a day. This makes it the fastest growing chick among birds in North America.
# 6: Sandhill Cranes
Native to the northern United States to Canada and across the Bering Strait to Siberia, although it winters in Florida and the American Southwest, this crane is famous for displays that pair up. Scientists have noticed at least five actions that make up these manifestations. These are vertical wing stretches, vertical throws and jumps, nose and horizontal head pumping. Once mated, the cranes use three steps to keep the connection. They copulate, raise the bill, and ring in unison. Aside from pairs, sand cranes like to be around family members and even outside cranes, which can help find food and shelter.
# 5: barn owls
With its strange heart-shaped facial disc and eerie dark eyes, this owl is the most common in the world and can be found on all continents except Antarctica. Although they mate for life, mostly barn owls do not stay together throughout the year and only get back together during the breeding season. In other cases, males and females have separate perches.
Although their courtship is not as flamboyant as that of eagles, cranes, or albatrosses, they still perform aerial acrobatics when they squeal. A man can distinguish men from women because his voice is higher and hers is lower. In addition, she is larger than her other half. The male also feeds the female and mates with her when she reaches a weight at which she can successfully lay and incubate eggs.
# 4: Birds of Love
Of course, lovebirds should be on this list. Their very name speaks of their monogamous nature. Lovebirds are not a type of bird, but describe species of parrots belonging to Agapornis genus. Eight parrots are found on the continent of Africa, and one, gray-haired, in Madagascar. Their attachment instinct is so strong that they even become attached to their human host, and the female lovebirds lay eggs without mating, even though the eggs are sterile. Lovers choose their life partners when they are only two months old.
It’s funny to see how lovebirds choose a mate. Males look after females carefully, as an uninteresting female can be aggressive. He will sneak up on her, and if she is not receptive, he will switch to the other side. He will nod, and if she allows him, he will gently scratch her. If they are a couple, he will feed her. Both parents build the nest and take care of the chicks.
# 3: Atlantic puffins
The Atlantic Puffin fills the niche that the penguin would fill if most penguins lived north of the equator. Indeed, the puffin lives far north of the equator and is found in Greenland, Iceland, Labrador, Nova Scotia, Maine, and eastern France. But unlike a penguin, a puffin can fly and spends most of its life in the open ocean. It comes to land only to breed in large colonies scattered along the coastal rocks.
While at sea, puffins live alone, but find a mate during the breeding season. Some observers believe that the puffin is not as attached to its soul mate as it is to its former nesting site, which it uses over and over again. The spouses strengthen their bond by renewing the nest, as well as invoicing or rattling their multicolored beaks.
# 2: Caroline Rens
This aggressive little bird, a South Carolina bird, is probably an example of the benefits of monogamy for short-lived birds because it lives in the wild for no more than 10 years. Monogamy of wrens can also be related to their protection of their territory, since it is more difficult for the female to defend her territory without a partner, especially in winter. Not only that, chicks also defend their family’s territory when they are old enough to fly. However, the male puts on a show to attract a mate. He will circle around the female, jump, inflate feathers, fan his tail and offer her a couple of bugs.
# 1: trumpet swans
Despite their reputation, not all swans mate for life. But the beautiful trumpeter swan from northern North America does mate for life and, like a lovebird, chooses a mate when it’s too young to breed. Although they are not ready to breed until they are four years old, trumpeter swans can pair up when they are less than two years old. Unlike puffins, they stay together even when they are not raising chicks and even when they are among a huge flock. To strengthen their bond, couples raise and flap their wings, nod their heads, and emit this famous trumpet.
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