Life Sciences Paper 1, November 2024, question 3.1.4

The passage below describes the breeding habits of a pair of flamingos on a wetland. Flamingos build a mud nest and the female lays a single egg. Both parents take turns to sit on the egg. The time from when the egg is laid until it hatches is only about 28 to 31 days. The newly hatched chick is helpless, so the parents feed it many times each day. Birds that hatch in this helpless state are said to show altricial development.