June 22 (UPI) — The San Diego Zoo announced a wattled jacana chick that hatched just before Father’s Day is doing well under the watchful eye of its dad.
The zoo said it was appropriate that the wattled jacana, a bird native to South America, was hatched shortly before Father’s Day.
“Male wattled jacanas, aka the super dads of the bird world, are entirely responsible for raising their young,” the zoo said. “After mom lays her eggs, the male takes over nest-sitting duties until the chicks hatch. From there, dad cares for the little ones for the first 40 to 70 days, tucking them under his wings to protect them from danger and teaching them how to forage.”
The zoo shared video of the baby bird bonding with its dad at the facility’s William E. Cole Family Hummingbird Habitat.
