Eagle Behaviors - Imprinting
Did you hear the story about the duck that fell in love with a tricycle? Believe it or not, the story was true! It seems that after birth, ducks will imprint on, or become attached to, the first moving object they see. In the case of the duck in the story, the first moving object was a red tricycle.
One instinctive behavior of the Ave or bird family that appears remarkable to humans is a process called imprinting. During a critical period, typically immediately or shortly after birth, a baby bird will become permanently attached to the first moving object it sees. In the case of the bald eagle, the critical age for imprinting is between the time it is first able to focus its eyes (around 9 days) and six weeks of age. If the bald eagle receives care or food from a source other than a bald eagle, it will imprint on, or become permanently emotionally attached to, that source.
This often happens when well-meaning people encounter an orphaned or injured bald eagle. By handling or feeding the eagle, these well-intentioned persons condemn the baby eagle to a lifetime of confinement or sure death in the wild. A bald eagle that has imprinted on a human will "fall in love" with the person it assumes is responsible for its care. The bald eagle then behaves as though it is human and seeks the company of humans rather than other members of its own species. This leads to a dangerous situation when the bald eagle apporaches unwary humans for food or company. This may result in serious injury for the human and possible death for the misunderstood eagle.
Another unfortunate consequence for the bald eagle that has imprinted on a human is that the bald eagle may never be attracted to members of its own species. If this happens, the eagle will never find a mate and raise young.
In recovery efforts, special care must be taken not to allow a bald eagle to imprint on humans or to look to them for a source of food. Elaborate measures are taken by scientists to prevent this from happening in their attempts to restore bald eagle populations.
One instinctive behavior of the Ave or bird family that appears remarkable to humans is a process called imprinting. During a critical period, typically immediately or shortly after birth, a baby bird will become permanently attached to the first moving object it sees. In the case of the bald eagle, the critical age for imprinting is between the time it is first able to focus its eyes (around 9 days) and six weeks of age. If the bald eagle receives care or food from a source other than a bald eagle, it will imprint on, or become permanently emotionally attached to, that source.
This often happens when well-meaning people encounter an orphaned or injured bald eagle. By handling or feeding the eagle, these well-intentioned persons condemn the baby eagle to a lifetime of confinement or sure death in the wild. A bald eagle that has imprinted on a human will "fall in love" with the person it assumes is responsible for its care. The bald eagle then behaves as though it is human and seeks the company of humans rather than other members of its own species. This leads to a dangerous situation when the bald eagle apporaches unwary humans for food or company. This may result in serious injury for the human and possible death for the misunderstood eagle.
Another unfortunate consequence for the bald eagle that has imprinted on a human is that the bald eagle may never be attracted to members of its own species. If this happens, the eagle will never find a mate and raise young.
In recovery efforts, special care must be taken not to allow a bald eagle to imprint on humans or to look to them for a source of food. Elaborate measures are taken by scientists to prevent this from happening in their attempts to restore bald eagle populations.