Animals That Use Warm Sand to Incubate Their Eggs
Many reptile species bury their eggs in warm sand to incubate them. However, there are also a few species of birds that copy this useful breeding practice. Warm sand not only serves as an excellent incubator but it also hides and protects the eggs from potential predators since the mother is usually not present to protect them herself.
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Tortoises
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Tortoises are normally from dry, hot regions so they tend to bury their eggs in sand to protect them from the heat of the overbearing sun yet also keeping them warm through the heated sand. The sand also protects the eggs from becoming too dry and from lizards or snakes that may prey on them.
Turtles
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Many turtles, including box turtles and even sea turtles, migrate from their aquatic environment to lay and bury their eggs in the sand. Laying the eggs in the water, whether buried or not, usually does not provide the appropriate temperatures necessary to incubate the eggs. The mothers crawl inland to lay their eggs in an area of the sand that won't be eroded by the changing tides. They often return to the water or another location, leaving the eggs unattended yet protected by the heat and cover of the sand.
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Desert Reptiles
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Like the tortoise, desert reptiles such as snakes, bearded dragons, Gila monsters or horned toads bury their eggs in the sand to incubate them as well as protect them from the heat and from each other. They are also aware that other animals bury their eggs in the sand and are skillful at uncovering them for a meal. On the vast desert landscape, however, most eggs are safely protected.
Megapodes
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Megapodes are a family of birds that are often referred to as "thermometer birds," because many species incubate their eggs using external sources such as warm sand. The young birds of this family receive no parental care, which belies the nesting tendencies most other bird families. Once the mother has ensured the eggs are in a safe, heated location, the eggs are left alone and the baby birds fend for themselves after they hatch.
Kingfishers
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Kingfishers choose to incubate their eggs in the sand on beach shores or near the banks of rivers. They differ from the reptiles and megapodes in that they dig a tunnel to access the eggs freely and provide additional incubation using their body heat. Unlike the other animals mentioned, both the male and female kingfisher remain near the nest to raise the fledglings once they hatch.
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