Love is in the air. This Valentine’s Day, take inspiration from some of the great bird species that mate for life. Here are just a few examples of the many winged wonders that fall into this category.
Average clutch size: 2 eggsCool fact: This vulture species doesn’t build a nest, but rather lays its eggs on the ground or in hollow cavities.
Yes, even Black Vultures stick together. “One bird, presumed to be male, chases a presumed female through the air and periodically dives at her” as part of the mating ritual, according to Birds of North America online. They form such a tight bond, in fact, that they hang out year round—not just during breeding season.
Average clutch size: 1-3 eggsCool fact: Measuring six feet across and four feet tall (or even larger!), Bald Eagle nests are some of the largest of any avian species.
These birds, the symbol of the United States, mate for life unless one of the two dies. Their spectacular courtship rituals are a sight to see, with the birds locking talons, then flipping, spinning, and twirling through the air in a maneuver called a Cartwheel Display. They break apart seemingly at the last moment, just before hitting the ground.
Average clutch size: 1 eggCool fact: Nearly three-quarters of the world’s population of this species nests on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.
Laysan Albatrosses, which don’t breed until they’re eight or nine years old, are monogamous, annually solidifying their bond through ritual dancing. “If they do lose their mate, they will go through a year or two of a mourning period,” says John Klavitter, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist at Midway Atoll. “After that, they will do a courtship dance to try to find another mate.”
Average clutch size: 5-7 eggsCool fact: During mating, the black knob at the base of a male’s bill swells up on these extremely territorial birds originally introduced from Europe.
Mute Swan pairs reportedly stay together for life. However, divorce does occur in less than 3 percent of mates that breed successfully and 9 percent that don’t. They re-mate when a partner dies; how quickly this happens depends on the survivor’s gender. Females find a new male within as few as three weeks. Males, however, tend to wait until the following fall or winter—allowing time to defend their nests and finish raising their cygnets.
Average clutch size: 2-4 eggsCool fact: These birds can live to be 75 years old in captivity or, on average, 33 years old in the wild.
Typically these rainbow-colored birds spend their lives together. They even preen each other and their young, picking bugs from their feathers. Scarlet Macaw parents, which reach sexual maturity sometime between age three and four, won’t raise new chicks until their previous ones have fledged and are independent.
Average clutch size: 2 eggsCool fact: Not surprisingly (when you get a look at the legs), this crane species is the tallest bird in North America.
Talk about a mating dance, Whooping Cranes—which are monogamous and mate for life—bow their heads, flap their wings, leap and bounce off stiffened legs all in the effort to secure a partner. This pairing off usually happens when the birds—which are red on Audubon’s Watchlist—are between two and three years old.
Average clutch size: 1 eggCool fact: When a Golden Eagle is around, this condor species—normally the dominant scavenger—will leave the carcass for the other bird and its seriously strong talons.
It takes California Condors, highly endangered birds on Audubon’s Watchlist, between six and eight years to reach sexual maturity. Once the birds mate, they stay together for years if not for life. During courtship, aerial displays bring the pairs to several nest options—kind of like searching for a potential home. The female, of course, has the final say in where the birds settle down.
Average clutch size: 1 eggCool fact: Puffins can fly up to 55 miles per hour, flapping their wings 400 times per minute.
These pigeon-sized “clowns of the sea” don’t breed until they’re between three and six years old. Once they do, however, Atlantic Puffins stick with their partners for good, returning to the same burrow each season, sharing egg-incubating and parenting duties, even performing what’s known as billing, during which the birds rub together their beaks. For more great information about Atlantic Puffins and Audubons conservation work to protect them, check out Project Puffin.
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Should you let your other pets see the pet that died after it has died?
The specific pets involved will determine the response to this. I can recall instances of both successful and unsuccessful outcomes for both choices. My recommendation would be to decide what to do based on your knowledge of your pet. If you believe your pet will be searching for its missing friend, you might believe it needs to be shown that its friend has passed away so it can get closure.
I used to frequently board with a pair of hahns macaws; in fact, they did so so frequently that they kind of extended themselves into my flock. I was incredibly close to those birds. Both had plucking problems in combination with other health issues. The male Tuko’s owner had to put him to death because he was so sick. The female only knew that her mate had been taken away and had not returned home, as she was not present when Tuko died. The owners were so furious that they were unable to pronounce Tuko’s name. They took great care to avoid bringing it up with Chica, the female, in case it offended her.
Chica meanwhile had a full relapse of feather destructive behaviours. She was bleeding from the wounds she was making to herself. When her owner called me in great distress, I suggested a change of scenery in the hopes that she would come to my house to see her other friends.
Chica escaped her cage when I attempted to put her in it and flew into my bird room. It was one of the most tragic things I have ever seen, as she was yelling, “Hey Tuko!” from cage to cage, possibly in search of her partner. Furthermore, I think she was aware that she comes to me when she plucks It occurred to me that perhaps she had planned it to look for him. She allowed me to hold her after she had examined every cage. She replied, “Tuko,” in the cutest little voice I have ever heard, after I said, “No Tuko.” However, I believe she recognized his absence and that I was aware of it. This was not typically the kind of bird that sought out my affection, but on this particular occasion, it did. Her friends in my flock seemed eager to see her and gave her more attention than usual while she was visiting, I noticed. I should also mention that she is doing really well at home these days and is fully feathered.
Present day, Chica is doing well.
This incident could lead one to believe that Chica would have benefitted from witnessing her partner’s death to realize he wasn’t coming back in this particular case. This isn’t necessarily true though. It can actually backfire.
Nemo and Merlin, two of my own galahs, were my next example. They were a very tightly bonded pair. Nemo had a very aggressive form of cancer and was undoubtedly in pain. I took her to the clinic and she was euthanised. In order for Merlin to comprehend what transpired, I allowed him to see her. His reaction was one of fear. He was gasping and yawning as though he couldn’t breathe. He launched himself at me in a very aggressive attack. We used to be very close. It has been a year. He only started talking to me again last week. I felt like he blamed me.
The good part though? He never looked for her. He reintegrated into my group of galahs and, aside from his sporadic flying attacks on me, he appeared to handle her passing quite well. However, it has taken him a year to appear as though he might be developing some closer friendships with other birds.
The truth is that there is no right or wrong decision regarding whether or not to let your surviving pet(s) witness the death of a friend. Whether you believe your bird will benefit from the closure of knowing their friend is dead is a personal decision.
Merlin & Nemo, a very bonded pair of galahs.
Love is in the air. This Valentine’s Day, be inspired by some of the magnificent bird species that have lifelong relationships. These are only a handful of the numerous avian marvels that belong to this category.
Mute Swan pairs reportedly stay together for life. Divorce does, however, happen in less than 3% of partners who successfully reproduce and 9% of those who don’t. When one partner passes away, they remate; the survivor’s gender determines how soon this occurs. It takes females as little as three weeks to find a new male. To give themselves time to protect their nests and complete raising their cygnets, males, on the other hand, usually wait until the next fall or winter.
The vulture species in question does not construct a nest; instead, its eggs are laid in hollow cavities or on the ground. The average clutch size is two eggs.
Cool fact: These birds can live up to 75 years old in captivity or, on average, 33 years old in the wild. Average clutch size: 2-4 eggs.
Average clutch size: two eggs; interesting fact: this species of crane is the tallest bird in North America, which should come as no surprise given a glance at its legs.
Signs that your pet may be feeling the stress of grief can include:
- exhibiting repetitive behaviours such as pacing
- increased contact calls/screaming
- reduced appetite/stop eating
- feather destructive behaviours (such as plucking or over-preening)
- increased aggression
- defensive body language
- lack of interaction with others or their environment
- seeming to search for or await the cherished one (e g. a dog might sit at a door).
- onset of illness
Of course, if left untreated, some of these symptoms can quickly turn deadly. This is especially worrying if the bird ceases to eat or exhibits self-destructive behaviors. In extreme circumstances, you might have to get your bird professional assistance.
Bonded pair of plucking Hahns Macaws. Tuko and Chica after a bath.
FAQ
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