As the female was sealed up in the nesting cavity, little observation of her behaviour was possible. Only her bill was visible from any vantage point near the nest, but she could be seen to clear debris from the nest on a frequent but irregular basis. This would appear to consist of food remains (snail shells, for example) and – we assume – the droppings of the chicks. She herself would not soil the nest but turn around, push her rump to the cavity entrance and then defecate forcefully into the air.
For long periods, the female’s bill would show at the nest entrance, the mandibles open quite wide, and a slow vibration of the bill quite evident; she was apparently panting to cool herself down.
Once the female left the nest on April 19th she played no further part in the development of the second chick.
