Bird Cams Around the World

:hmmmm I've been doing some research on this "in sync" thing. It is fascinating how egg laying is controlled. Here's some info if anyone is interested:

Durand's ovaries are switched on by a pituitary hormone activated by increased daylight. However, according to a post on the Rochester pfa site, "peregrine females can choose when to fertilize their eggs." This is advantageous in the wild. Durand can store Aries' sperm and "only begin the egg production process when she's found a safe nest site." I gather that the wording "safe nest site" is in a broad sense and includes the courtship process and having a mate that proves himself worthy as a provider. Most wild birds won't lay eggs if they don't have a mate. Their unfertilized eggs are re-absorbed by the body. Once incubation begins, the hormone prolactin switches off egg production in the ovaries. Clearly, egg production is complex and influenced by many outside factors that have to come together like a fine symphony. I suppose when Durand feels "safe"about nesting with Aries, she will lay those eggs.


It is interesting though that Durand didn't have a late start with Spark. He arrived at the end of the nesting season as a sub-adult on 5/7/12 and she laid eggs with him on 3/19 for 3 years in a row (2013, 2014 & 2015). In 2016, she was early with him on 3/12. The years that Durand had poor mates, she laid on 3/26 in 2012 and on 4/3 in 2011. Seems that Durand was "in sync" with Spark from the start.