Species That Trade Child-rearing Duties Quiz

Answer: Brown-headed cowbird

The brown-headed cowbird will lay its eggs in almost any nest it finds. Females typically lay over 30 eggs in a season, but she does not build a nest. Instead, she lays them in whatever nest she finds. Brown-headed cowbird eggs have been documented in over 200 different species' nests, including large raptors and tiny hummingbirds. Once they hatch, the brown-headed cowbird chicks are fed by the parents of their adoptive nests, often at the expense of the chicks that should be there.

Answer: Seahorse

The seahorse engages in four distinct stages of courtship that last a couple of days. The first stage occurs a couple of days before copulation and happens when the mates seem to notice one another, brighten in colour, quiver, and follow one another (sort of like courtship amongst some humans!).

The final stage has the female depositing her eggs into the breeding pouch that is located on the male's front side. The eggs remain in the pouch during gestation and are expelled by the father as live creatures to fend for themselves immediately upon birth.

Answer: Stay At Home Dads

The National At-Home Dad Network defines an "at-home dad" as "any father who is the regular primary caregiver of his children". This means that Stay At Home Dads are mainly responsible for cooking, cleaning, and providing care for their children while their partners typically becomes the main breadwinners for the family. SAHDs often work outside the home as well, but do not become the major earner in the home.

Although statistics are difficult to find in the early 2000s, the consensus seems to be that the number of SAHDs is on the rise.

Answer: He urinates on them

The brilliant thighed poison arrow frog goes to many lengths to make sure his brood stays wet. If the pond begins to dry up, he will urinate on them to help with that. If no rain appears, the tadpoles climb onto his back and use suction to remain there while he leaves the original area until he finds a new pond that contains enough water for them to grow to adulthood.

Answer: Extreme loneliness

The odd-looking toadfish is found off the west coast of Canada. The eggs are laid in a nest that he builds in a cave. He will stay with the eggs for about four months until they hatch. This protects them from predators, but makes for a really lonely life.

Answer: 2 months

These animal dads keep those eggs tucked away for the entire incubation period without eating anything! They huddle together during this time while the females go fishing. When the females return two months later, the males have typically lost about 40% of their body weight, but the baby penguins have (mostly) survived in the warmth of the dads' feathers for that time.

Answer: Off the coast of Sweden

This fish is found in the Baltic sea off the coast of the Scandinavian countries, off the coast of the British Isles, and in the Mediterranean. Like the seahorse, this fish also has a complex mating ritual, after which the female deposits her eggs in the male's brood pouch.

He carries the fertilized eggs in the pouch and nurtures them by transferring oxygen and nutrients to them. Swedish biologists have studied this fish and have found that the pregnant males have a poorer survival rate than other non-pregnant males and females.

They speculate that this is because other fish are attracted by the food in the pouch full of eggs.

Answer: 18 months

Emu dads are amazing. They sit on the nest after the female has laid her eggs and flown the coop. After hatching, he hangs out with them for a year-and-a-half, teaching them everything they need to know about being an emu. How's that for dedication?

Answer: Tamarin

Tamarin dads are relatively active in raising their young. Once the young reach about ten days, the father begins carrying them on his back. He gives the baby back to its mother when it is time to nurse. The remaining primates on the list are all found in Africa and Asia.

Answer: Every duty except lay eggs

Jacanas are very active fathers. They make the nests, incubate the eggs once the female lays them, then teach the young about finding food, and other basics of life. The females simply go off to find more mates once their eggs are laid. These dads go so far as to hide the eggs under their wings if they become threatened so that they can move them to a new nesting site.

They will also care for eggs and chicks that were fertilized by other fathers. How's that for loyalty to the young ones?