Interestingly, if its own kin is placed outside of the nest, a parent bird will ignore that chick.

It allows parent birds to more easily remove fecal material from the nest.

Having spotted them, the predator will know where they are, even if it is momentarily distracted by the parent bird.

When the predator comes too close, the parent bird suddenly leaps up and flies to safety.

On the hottest days, the parent birds dip their bodies in the river and then return wet to cool the eggs.

Will they be something to gobble enthusiastically, or a festive food to dread in the way some do the parent bird?

Unhatched eggs may also be eaten by the parent birds.

When he was supposed to be playing football he used to watch the parent birds taking stuff to the nest.

So usually one or other of the parent birds must stay with the eggs for most of the time.

From the body of the parent bird, a young Phoenix issues forth, destined to live as long a life as its predecessor.