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Red-capped Plover, female with wet abdomen. When returning to incubate this female had a wet abdomen used to cool the eggs. Both adults stood over the eggs shading rather than incubating as the temperature was in the 50 to 60 degree range
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Red-capped Plover, female with wet abdomen. When returning to incubate this female had a wet abdomen used to cool the eggs. Both adults stood over the eggs shading rather than incubating as the temperature was in the 50 to 60 degree range
DH-3633
Red-capped Plover - female with wet abdomen
At a pond near Marble Bar, Pilbara, Western Australia
Charadrius ruficapillus
When returning to incubate this female had a wet abdomen used to cool the eggs. Both adults stood over the eggs shading rather than incubating as the temperature was in the 50 to 60 degree range. A widespread plover, inhabiting both coastal and inland waterways, ponds, claypans, beaches and wetlands. Closely related to the worldwide Kentish Plover. Marble Bar has the longest heatwave known when for 160 consecutive days the temperature was above 100 deg F (38.7)
Don Hadden
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Media ID 1293715
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Cooling Eggs Intelligence Nurture Parenting Plover Plovers Red Capped Red Capped Plover Temperature Control Waders At Nest
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Chill Out, Plover Style - Keeping Cool and Caring for Eggs in the Aussie Heatwave!
EDITORS COMMENTS
. In this print captured by Don Hadden, we witness a remarkable display of avian intelligence and parenting skills. Meet DH-3633, a female Red-capped Plover with a wet abdomen that serves as her secret weapon against scorching temperatures. Returning to incubate her precious eggs near Marble Bar in Western Australia, this clever plover knows just how to beat the heat. Instead of sitting directly on the eggs like most birds do, she stands tall alongside her partner over the nest. Together they create a shady oasis using their bodies to shield their future offspring from blistering temperatures ranging from 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The Red-capped Plovers are no ordinary beach-dwelling birds; they inhabit various coastal and inland waterways across Australia. Their close relation to the worldwide Kentish Plover makes them even more fascinating creatures of our natural world. Marble Bar itself holds fame for enduring an extraordinary heatwave where temperatures soared above 100 degrees Fahrenheit for an astonishing 160 consecutive days! It seems these resourceful plovers have adapted well to such extreme conditions through their thermoregulatory mechanism of belly soaking and egg cooling. So next time you're feeling hot under the collar during summer's peak, take inspiration from these incredible feathered parents who know how to keep it cool while nurturing new life amidst nature's harshest challenges!
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