Whooping Crane April 27, 2003 Hey, Baby! First Lessons At Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland, young Whooping crane chicks for the new Eastern flock are slowly forming an attachment to the ultralight aircraft. The little yellow plane (here without its wing attached) is their "stand-in parent." The chicks have heard its voice (engine) since they were in the egg before hatching. The chicks learn to walk behind their caretakers and the ultralight trike within a few days after they are born. Photo WCEP Hear biologist and trainer Dan Sprague tell how training begins: audio clip, MP3 Photo WCEP   The crane chicks are off-limits to public viewing. Why? Photo Jane Duden Photo USGS Patuxent Cranes go back into the "chick run" after training. Photo Dan Sprague   Try This! Journaling Questions One of the important rules for raising and training the chicks is this: "To reinforce the 'follow the aircraft' response, efforts will be made to minimize the number of times a chick is led by a walking handler. However, during early conditioning, it may be safer to lead chicks to the aircraft rather than to carry them." Why is it so important that chicks learn to follow the aircraft right from the beginning of their lives? Dan used the word forage in the audio clip "How Training Begins." Look up the word and write the meaning in your journal with other vocabulary words you collect. View the video clip Journey North is pleased to feature this educational adventure made possible by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP). Facebook Pinterest Twitter © 1997 – 2024 Journey North. All rights reserved.