Can baby birds really imprint on humans?
Precocial birds are those capable of moving around on their own soon after hatching, and it's for these birds - like geese, ducks and grouse - that imprinting is strongest.
Imprinting is a survival strategy that occurs when a newly hatched bird sees another animal and then forms a strong attachment to it. Usually, it’s the baby’s mother, but sometimes it can be an inanimate object, such as a stick, or a different animal, such as a human.
The most impressive demonstration of this has to be from Italian hang glider pilot Angelo d’Arrigo. He reared a flock of Siberian cranes under the wing of his hang glider, and then in 2003, guided them all the way from northern Siberia to the Caspian Sea in Iran; a journey of 5,500km.
Read more:
- How do baby birds breathe inside their eggs?
- Can different bird species understand each other’s songs?
- How does a small bird such as a robin produce such a loud sound?
- Could a bird fly in space if provided with oxygen?
Asked by: Gary Simms, via email
To submit your questions email us at questions@sciencefocus.com (don't forget to include your name and location)
Authors
Sponsored Deals
May Half Price Sale
- Save up to 52% when you subscribe to BBC Science Focus Magazine.
- Risk - free offer! Cancel at any time when you subscribe via Direct Debit.
- FREE UK delivery.
- Stay up to date with the latest developments in the worlds of science and technology.
