| 4.
Finding a Safe Place to Roost
Young
whoopers must learn to roost (spend the night) in a place that's
safe from predators. If they roost in water the right depth, they
will be able to hear the splash of any predator that comes near.
Then they can fly away to safety.
Chicks
in Captivity
Did you guess that the white whooper on the left was fake? Decoys
have been with the young chicks since they hatched. The chicks
see them as part of their species. Handlers put the decoys
in
water deep enough for roosting. By imitating
the
"phonies," chicks learn to roost in the right places! |
Photo USGS Patuxent |
| |
|
Chicks
in the Wild
Whoopers raised in the wild stay close to their parents and
other members of their species. In this way, they learn from
their own kind where to spend the night!
|
Photo
Brian Johns, CWS |
|
