Nature's Cull. (Warning: Graphic!)

[SMB2]

Great Egrets frequently lay three eggs during breeding season. Generally they hatch 2 days apart, so the third one out will be smaller compared to the first and second. As they grow, the first two chicks will batter the third, keeping it from eating and as it gets weaker the siblings will chase the chick to the edge of the nest where the parent will ignore it. Eventually the chick will fall from the nest.
Sometimes you will see three grown chicks in a nest probably because of plentiful food or experienced parents. Otherwise the third chick is a safety measure so that if one of the first two falls ill or is taken by a predator, the littlest one will survive.
These two chicks have killed their sibling but can't figure out how to lift it and throw it from the nest.

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[dagray]

Great shot, and great explanation.

Will one of the other birds take the third bird's place in the pecking order?

[SMB2]

By this size the two remaining chicks still fight for food but usually there is enough to go around.

[dagray]

Very cool Stan :)

[John_Nicholson]

Nice pic but not really graphic.....LOL. It is just how nature works. The problem we have now is most people have lost their connection to nature and no longer have any clue how it works.

-john

[SMB2]

Nice pic but not really graphic.....LOL

You're right John. The title was just a hook. Hey it got you into the photo section!
I was photographing this area for four days, and even though you could look at some of the Egret nests and predict the outcome, it was still a little hard to watch it play out.
The Alligators under the nests however had no problem keeping their eyes on the nests!

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[bluelagoon]

You're right John. The title was just a hook. Hey it got you into the photo section!
I was photographing this area for four days, and even though you could look at some of the Egret nests and predict the outcome, it was still a little hard to watch it play out.
The Alligators under the nests however had no problem keeping their eyes on the nests!

87267
Maybe he'll be a suit case someday!!!LOL

[Second Hand Pat]

Love the egret picture Stan and that gator picture works very well in black and white :D
Pat