This larger chick was actually limping a bit as i observed through the viewfinder. As I checked closely, i noticed one leg was actually bleeding as he hobbled over a sand mound. I went over and found him lying motionless as usual. The chick was then lifted off the ground and the little durian removed from the webed foot. After that he was put on the sand again. He seems much relieved!

Of course, there is death. The first two days of hatching is very crucial to the mortality rate of the chicks. Failed nests can occur by bad choice of nesting grounds, too many eggs, even stress of parent by predators. Once the chicks can move, the survival rates increase. Here, we observe that the parent does not believe the chick is dead. She covers the chicks beak with a rock to prevent ants from entering the carcass. She even continues to sit on the remaining egg and dead chick, whilst being harressed by the sudden increase in flies and ants.

The remaining egg also did not make it to hatching, mostly probably due to a super heated ground. A poor choice of nesting location.