On
September 11, 2006, the chicks were 81 days old. The largest chick
fledged (clearing 100 meters without touching the ground) on September
5. This was 75 days after hatching—so right on schedule. The
smaller chick will soon be flying too!
Once they have fledged, experts on the
Tracking and Monitoring Team will attempt color banding and radio
tagging the two wild-hatched chicks before the First Family begins
its autumn migration. Even thought the chicks are wild and free,
banding will be done for both biological
and legal reasons.
Photo
Chris Gullikson, Operation
Migration