Common Murres lay their eggs on the ledges of sheer cliff faces. Building a Nest There are nearly as many varieties of nests as there are varieties of birds. Intricately woven oriole nests hang from tree branches. Incubating In some species the male helps with the incubation of eggs. In the case of the Wilson's Phalarope, the male does all the incubation of eggs and the tending of young.
Some birds are nearly self-sufficient when they hatch.
Precocial Killdeer feed themselves just a few hours after emerging from the shell. Most shorebirds must feed themselves from birth. Typical songbirds, however, probably live 2-5 years.