Following egg laying in the polygynous system, which parent assumes responsibility for incubation?
Answer
The male assumes responsibility for incubation and chick-rearing
Once the eggs are laid, the division of labor shifts dramatically, placing the entire burden of offspring care onto the father bird. The male jacana is solely responsible for sitting on the eggs for the incubation period, which lasts approximately two to three weeks. After hatching, the male continues to diligently guard and feed the chicks. This extreme divergence in parental duties suggests an evolutionary strategy where the male's complete commitment is necessary to guarantee the survival of the small brood, irrespective of the unpredictable nature of wetland resources.
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