How can birds reproduce in Antarctica when temperatures are below 0.0 c?

Answer 1

Birds that breed in Antarctica in sub-zero, extreme cold temperatures have adaptive behaviours to insure the preservation of their species.

For example, King and Emperor Penguin females lay their eggs and immediately scoop them up and position them on the tops of their webbed feet and flop their belly fat over the eggs to keep them warm.

After laying the eggs, and when the males return from feeding in the ocean waters, the males find their mates, and the egg is transferred to the tops of the males' webbed feet, where they flop their belly fat over the eggs.

Then, the males huddle in creches and move together slowly with their backs to the wind, to survive and warm the eggs enough to hatch.

After they hatch, the females return, fully regained of their pre-birth weights, and take over the chicks. The males are then free to eat after many months of hatching work.

You can see a photo, below, of a King Penguin creche protecting their chicks from the extreme cold, until the chicks' molts are complete and they can take to the water and feed themselves.

Answer 2

In Antarctica, 0.0C degrees is fairly temperate. Temperatures far below 0.0C are most common to about -40.0C.

In this extreme environment, breeding birds are engineered for survival of their young. For example, female Emperor penguins lay eggs, which are then transferred to the tops of the males' webbed feet. The males cover the egg with their blubber pouches. Then, the females leave the males and search for open water, to feed.

The Emperor males form creches to keep warm, which are constantly in motion, with their backs to the wind. As an animal finds itself in the front of the creche, with no forward protection, the male waddles -- keeping the egg on the tops of his feet and under his blubber pouch -- to the back of the creche where he inserts himself into the moving creche.

Once the chicks hatch, they remain under the blubber patch, and soon enough the females return. Females call for their mates, locate them and the chick is transferred to the tops of the females' feet. Then, the males leave the females and search for food in open water.

This kind of cooperative breeding is an adaptation to the extreme conditions on the Antarctic continent.