A Busy Month (Bird Life Cycles)
Nesting, Eggs, and Raising Young Birds Across Seasons
Simulate the **breeding season** of birds. Select a species, observe nesting, and advance the season to hatch the eggs and raise the chicks!
How to Use This Demo
- Select a **Bird Species** from the options below.
- Click "**Build Nest**" to create a habitat.
- Click "**Lay Eggs**" to place eggs in the nest.
- Click "**Next Season**" to advance the cycle (hatching, fledging).
- Use "**Reset Cycle**" to clear the nest and start over.
- Observe how the bird's status changes with the seasons.
Status: Nest Empty | Current Season: Spring 🌸
Observation:
It is **Spring**, the ideal season for breeding! Select a bird species to start **building a nest**.
Bird Breeding and Seasonal Timing
Key Stages:
The bird life cycle is timed perfectly to match the abundance of food and favorable weather. This is known as **breeding synchrony**:
| Season | Key Activity | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| **Spring** | Nesting & Courtship | Locate mates and build a safe place before food peaks. |
| **Summer** | Egg Laying & Hatching | Raise young when insects (protein source) are most plentiful. |
| **Autumn** | Fledging & Migration | Young leave the nest. Some species migrate south before winter. |
| **Winter** | Survival & Foraging | Energy conservation and surviving food scarcity. |
Bird Roles:
Building the nest and incubating eggs are often shared, but raising **baby birds (chicks)** requires continuous feeding by both parents to ensure the young fledge (grow feathers and learn to fly) quickly.
