It’s a much more practical method for water birds. The male climbs on top of the female and holds her under the water briefly as he penetrates and inseminates her. This is an extension of the cloacal wall which becomes erect for mating. So, nature gave male ducks, swans and most water birds a penis. When you think that on dry land, a cloacal kiss only gets 1-2% of sperm into the female, you can imagine how low the success rate would be on the water. So experts say that birds bond socially rather than sexually – it’s a feathered “open relationship.” Ducks Do it Differently. The result is that two birds may raise some chicks that aren’t biologically related to one or both of them.īut this doesn’t cause any drama or rejection of the “step chicks”. Because birds of the same species build nests that look quite similar, it’s not uncommon for a female to lay her eggs in more than one nest. So the eggs she lays may have several different fathers. So when the female’s body clock tells her the time is right to start producing eggs, she may well have sperm from several different partners inside her. Many birds do pair up for one mating season, for a year or life.īut this may not mean they are sexually exclusive.īecause of the need to ensure insemination birds will mate several times, with different partners during the season. She is capable of holding on to sperm within her body until the conditions are right for nesting.Īlthough some males will leave straight after the sex act and have nothing to do with nesting and raising chicks, most of our songbirds to nest and rear as a family. Once insemination has happened, the female may start producing eggs in a couple of days.

So, quite a few kisses are probably needed. Scientists believe that just 1-2% of the sperm ejaculated makes it into the female. The balancing act is tricky, and it may last a while so that the birds can have more than one cloacal kiss, increasing the chances of insemination. During this brief touch, the male releases sperm which enters the female. He hunches over, and their cloacas touch for just a second. She arches her back and moves her tail to one side. The male mounts the female from behind, balancing on her back. Birds mate with what is known as a cloacal kiss.

Male birds have no penis, so there is no penetration. But the sex act itself for birds is nothing to get excited about. The Act of Matingīird courtship may be fascinating with brilliant plumage, beautiful songs and impressive dances. Once breeding is done, the cloaca and other reproductive organs shrink to minimise weight for flying and migration. As seasonal temperatures, light levels and food availability signal the start of the mating season the cloaca swells and expands. Inside the body, males have testicles, and females have just one ovary.īirds’ reproductive organs change during the year. And in the case of the female, lets sperm in. This is an opening just below the tail which lets sperm, eggs, faeces and urine out. Males do not have penises, and from the outside male and female birds” sexual equipment looks the same.īoth male and female birds have a cloaca or avian vent. Ducks, swans and most waterbirds do have penises and mate through penetration.wild The Equipmentįirst of all, most birds are made differently to mammals. They mate by briefly touching cloacas so sperm can pass from male to female. Both male and female have an avian vent or cloaca.

Like everything in nature, it’s fascinating stuff. In most songbirds, even the equipment is different and uniquely adapted to the needs of the species. Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it. But hang on a minute, exactly how do birds mate? Well, most birds do things a bit differently from us humans.

Pa hawk sounds at night