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Question
I'm wondering if the male mates with the female for fertilizing each egg, or can
they mate just once, and all the eggs will be fertilized?
Good question. The male mates with the female to fertilize the eggs, of course, but the sperm lasts for about three weeks, so if the male died after only one mating, all the eggs would still be fertilized. However, the male and female copulate fairly often during the nesting season as a way of maintaining the pair bond.
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Answers by Expert:
Roger Lederer
Expertise
Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.
Experience
Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.
Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico
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