Final answer:
Some wild birds eat their offspring's eggshell to remove evidence of a recent hatch, thus protecting their young from predators. This behavior is part of their parental care, which also includes various strategies for hiding or securing eggs and chicks from potential threats.
Step-by-step explanation:
Some wild birds do eat their offspring's eggshell after hatching. The reasons for this behaviour can vary, but one of the main purposes is to reduce predation risk by removing signs of a recent hatch that might attract predators. By consuming the eggshells, they are effectively removing evidence of the nesting site and therefore protecting their young.Parental care in birds is remarkably high. Nearly all bird species exhibit some form of care for both their eggs and hatchlings. This care includes incubation, which is keeping the eggs warm until they hatch, and later, feeding and protecting the young chicks.
There are many adaptations in birds to protect their offspring from predators. Camouflaged eggs are just one such strategy used by ground-nesting birds to blend their eggs with the surrounding environment, reducing visibility to predators. Other birds might choose different nesting sites like cliffs or might not build nests at all, like the Emperor penguin, which incubates its egg on its feet.Wild birds do not eat their offspring's eggshell. When birds hatch from their eggs, the parents usually remove the eggshell from the nest to keep it clean and to avoid attracting predators. The parents focus on protecting and caring for their hatchlings by providing food and shelter until they are old enough to leave the nest.