hautuvat

Hautuvat is a term used in Finnish biology to describe eggs or embryos that are in the incubation stage. In scientific and educational contexts, hautuvat refers to organisms actively incubating or kept under conditions that promote development until hatching. The word comes from the Finnish verb hautua, which means to incubate or brood, and is encountered in field guides and zoological texts written in Finnish or translated into English.

In avian and reptilian biology, incubation involves maintaining controlled temperature and humidity, often with parental care or artificial incubation methods. Factors such as turning, ventilation, and nest microclimate influence developmental rate and hatch success. Incubation periods vary widely by species, typically ranging from about one week to several months, and can be affected by environmental conditions and genetic factors.

Ecologically, hautuvat eggs are often central to reproductive strategies and population dynamics. Disturbances to nesting sites, climate change, and predation can affect survival rates of the incubating stage and subsequent hatchlings.

In Finnish usage, hautuvat is primarily a technical term within biology and wildlife science. In English-language contexts, the concept is described with phrases such as incubating eggs or eggs in incubation.