Laura Erickson's For the Birds

About Laura Ways to Help Blog Radio Writing Miscellany Search Birds

Laura's Birding Blog

For the love, understanding, and protection of birds

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

What is a brood patch?

Great Blue Heron brood patch

Narrated Slide Show

Posted by Laura Erickson at 1:19 AM

Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest

Newer Post Older Post Home

Subscribe to Laura's new blog!

ALL blog content is available free to subscribers.

Search Blog Archive

My new book!!

Laura's list of her TOP TEN favorite birds

Well, there's a 12-way tie for 10th place

Laura's Podcast

Almost all of my blogposts are transcripts of my podcast. Click on the photo to subscribe. It's free!

Blog Archive

► 2023 ( 23 )
- ► March ( 6 )
- ► February ( 8 )
- ► January ( 9 )

► 2022 ( 102 )
- ► December ( 4 )
- ► November ( 8 )
- ► October ( 9 )
- ► September ( 7 )
- ► August ( 7 )
- ► July ( 9 )
- ► June ( 7 )
- ► May ( 9 )
- ► April ( 13 )
- ► March ( 9 )
- ► February ( 8 )
- ► January ( 12 )

► 2021 ( 122 )
- ► December ( 14 )
- ► November ( 16 )
- ► October ( 3 )
- ► September ( 4 )
- ► August ( 6 )
- ► July ( 5 )
- ► June ( 13 )
- ► May ( 17 )
- ► April ( 15 )
- ► March ( 12 )
- ► February ( 6 )
- ► January ( 11 )

► 2020 ( 156 )
- ► December ( 11 )
- ► November ( 10 )
- ► October ( 10 )
- ► September ( 13 )
- ► August ( 12 )
- ► July ( 19 )
- ► June ( 20 )
- ► May ( 16 )
- ► April ( 17 )
- ► March ( 12 )
- ► February ( 9 )
- ► January ( 7 )

► 2019 ( 103 )
- ► December ( 11 )
- ► November ( 5 )
- ► October ( 7 )
- ► September ( 5 )
- ► August ( 5 )
- ► July ( 4 )
- ► June ( 6 )
- ► May ( 12 )
- ► April ( 6 )
- ► March ( 18 )
- ► February ( 14 )
- ► January ( 10 )

► 2018 ( 117 )
- ► December ( 5 )
- ► November ( 11 )
- ► October ( 9 )
- ► September ( 3 )
- ► August ( 4 )
- ► July ( 4 )
- ► June ( 15 )
- ► May ( 12 )
- ► April ( 16 )
- ► March ( 19 )
- ► February ( 6 )
- ► January ( 13 )

► 2017 ( 112 )
- ► December ( 6 )
- ► November ( 7 )
- ► October ( 11 )
- ► September ( 6 )
- ► August ( 4 )
- ► July ( 11 )
- ► June ( 12 )
- ► May ( 19 )
- ► April ( 13 )
- ► March ( 9 )
- ► February ( 9 )
- ► January ( 5 )

► 2016 ( 100 )
- ► December ( 8 )
- ► November ( 9 )
- ► October ( 6 )
- ► September ( 6 )
- ► August ( 2 )
- ► July ( 9 )
- ► June ( 5 )
- ► May ( 10 )
- ► April ( 9 )
- ► March ( 5 )
- ► February ( 19 )
- ► January ( 12 )

► 2015 ( 59 )
- ► December ( 1 )
- ► November ( 2 )
- ► October ( 5 )
- ► September ( 4 )
- ► August ( 6 )
- ► July ( 4 )
- ► June ( 8 )
- ► May ( 4 )
- ► April ( 7 )
- ► March ( 7 )
- ► February ( 4 )
- ► January ( 7 )

► 2014 ( 89 )
- ► December ( 4 )
- ► November ( 13 )
- ► October ( 16 )
- ► September ( 16 )
- ► August ( 5 )
- ► July ( 7 )
- ► June ( 5 )
- ► May ( 8 )
- ► April ( 3 )
- ► March ( 6 )
- ► February ( 6 )

► 2013 ( 23 )
- ► July ( 1 )
- ► June ( 2 )
- ► May ( 5 )
- ► April ( 2 )
- ► March ( 6 )
- ► February ( 5 )
- ► January ( 2 )

▼ 2012 ( 88 )
- ► December ( 6 )
- ► November ( 8 )
- ► October ( 10 )
- ► September ( 5 )
- ► August ( 9 )
- ► July ( 5 )
- ► June ( 3 )
- ► May ( 8 )
- ▼ April ( 8 )
- ► March ( 10 )
- ► February ( 6 )
- ► January ( 10 )

► 2011 ( 110 )
- ► December ( 12 )
- ► November ( 14 )
- ► October ( 14 )
- ► September ( 14 )
- ► August ( 13 )
- ► July ( 7 )
- ► June ( 10 )
- ► May ( 5 )
- ► April ( 8 )
- ► March ( 2 )
- ► February ( 2 )
- ► January ( 9 )

► 2010 ( 95 )
- ► December ( 5 )
- ► November ( 15 )
- ► October ( 6 )
- ► September ( 8 )
- ► August ( 7 )
- ► July ( 9 )
- ► June ( 17 )
- ► May ( 8 )
- ► April ( 6 )
- ► March ( 9 )
- ► February ( 2 )
- ► January ( 3 )

► 2009 ( 60 )
- ► December ( 10 )
- ► November ( 7 )
- ► October ( 3 )
- ► September ( 7 )
- ► August ( 5 )
- ► July ( 2 )
- ► June ( 6 )
- ► May ( 1 )
- ► April ( 3 )
- ► March ( 9 )
- ► January ( 7 )

► 2008 ( 111 )
- ► December ( 6 )
- ► November ( 15 )
- ► October ( 8 )
- ► September ( 6 )
- ► August ( 9 )
- ► July ( 4 )
- ► June ( 24 )
- ► May ( 16 )
- ► April ( 4 )
- ► March ( 9 )
- ► February ( 3 )
- ► January ( 7 )

► 2007 ( 315 )
- ► December ( 36 )
- ► November ( 30 )
- ► October ( 42 )
- ► September ( 47 )
- ► August ( 31 )
- ► July ( 17 )
- ► June ( 17 )
- ► May ( 27 )
- ► April ( 60 )
- ► March ( 8 )

Popular Posts

Is feeding jelly really okay for birds?

UPDATED June 3, 2023: Rehab clinics are admitting hummingbirds covered in jelly. See my blog post about this here . Back in spring 2004, we...
Question of the day: Do birds fart?

Ah--an intelligent kid's question has worked its way into BirdChat channels. Since I worked on nighthawk digestion during my ill-fated...
More about Bird Tongues than a Normal Person Would Want to Know

From the time I was a very little girl, I wondered about bird tongues. Well, actually, I wondered about all tongues. Dog tongues lolled ou...
Twins and Double Yolks in Bird Eggs

Every year during nesting season, people ask if it’s possible for wild birds to produce twins--two chicks from a single egg. Chicken e...
An Open Letter to Senator Al Franken

Dear Mr. Franken: I’m a Minnesotan who has admired you since your earliest Saturday Night Live skits, through your movies, your Air Americ...
First bird of the New Year: What does it mean?

Every year on January first, the moment I wake up I head to the window to see what my first bird of the New Year will be. My hope is us...
Baiting Owls

When Russ and I were living in Madison, Wisconsin in the late 70s, there was an invasion of northern owls into the Duluth area, and a l...
Eagle "Rebirth" redux

Back in 2017, after a bizarre video about eagle “rebirth” went viral, people started flooding me with questions about whether it was true....
Bald Blue Jays

Every year in July and August, people here and there throughout the country notice bald Blue Jays and ask me about them. And every year I ...
Hedwig

Please do not click on the following link if you have not read at least through page 57 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , since it c...

Chickadee vs. Wolf: Who should we emulate?

Watch Laura's TEDxBemidji talk about Chickadees

States Laura has visited as an invited speaker

Blue: States I've made a Zoom Presentation in; Red: States I've traveled to for a presentation; Purple: Both

This blog is copyrighted

All content for this blog is copyrighted 2022 by Laura L. Erickson. All rights reserved. I charge $5,000 per day for reuse without permission.

Powered by Blogger.