Expert: Walter Hintz - 3/19/2008

Question
Compare the differences in parental care in the case of fish, birds,
and mammals.  

Answer
Hi Anna
Care in fish varies.  Most fish lay and fertilize eggs and then the young are on their own. A few tropical fishes are mouth breeders. The eggs are hatched in the adult mouth and after hatching when danger occurs the fry run into the adult mouth.With the sunfish family the male clears a nest area in shallow water and then guards the nest until the young hatch.
 Birds care for and feed the young until they can fly and then they are on their own. There is a tropical bird that lays eggs in a termite nest and never goes back.  It is warm in the nest and the young birds eat termites.  A few birds like cuckoos and cowbirds lay eggs in another birds and let other birds raise them
 Mammals provide the most care watching young until they can get by on their own and the time varies.  My grandfather left home at 14 and my son stayed around until his 20's