Parental care

Parental care is behavior by a parent that increases the survival or development of its offspring, including feeding, protection, and teaching.

Provisioning: The delivery of food or other resources to dependent offspring. Parents provision offspring by feeding them directly or bringing food to a nest.
No parental care: A reproductive strategy in which parents provide no care after producing eggs or offspring. Many species leave offspring to develop independently, unlike species with extended care.
Natural selection: The process by which heritable traits that improve reproductive success become more common in populations. Care can spread when it increases the number of surviving descendants.
Seahorse pregnancy: A reproductive process in which a male seahorse carries developing embryos in a specialized brood pouch. Male pregnancy makes paternal investment unusually visible.
Brooding: The maintenance of suitable conditions for developing eggs or young through warmth, shelter, or close attendance. Brooding protects eggs and young while supporting development.
Maternal care: Parental care provided by a mother to her offspring. Mothers provide care alone in many species and share it in others.
Inclusive fitness: An individual's genetic contribution to future generations through its own reproduction and through relatives' reproduction. Care can benefit a parent's genetic success through offspring and other related young.
Emperor penguin breeding cycle: The reproductive cycle in which emperor penguins incubate eggs and feed chicks in Antarctic winter conditions. Males incubate the egg while females forage, and both later feed the chick.
Antipredator behavior: Behavior that reduces the likelihood of being detected, attacked, or eaten by a predator. Parents may distract predators, defend nests, or conceal offspring.
Paternal care: Parental care provided by a father to his offspring. Male-only care occurs in several animal groups and contrasts with the common assumption of maternal care.

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