Chapter 32, Problem 18STP

Summary Introduction

To discuss:

The necessity of ultralight aircraft to guide the bird so that they can learn migration.

Introduction:

Behaviors that are not linked to past experiences and are genetically based are known as innate behaviors. Migrations in birds are innate behavior. Imprinting is learning by animals that occurs only at a specific time period of their life cycle and becomes permanent.

Explanation of Solution

Migration in birds is innate behavior but to the extinction of some species, ultra-light aircrafts are used to guide these birds so that they can learn migration. As the offspring sees the object for the first time, they consider them as their parents. In 1999, only one flock of 180 migratory whooping cranes existed naturally and to help these from extinction, these chicks were imprinted using an ultra-light aircraft so, that the new population learns migration and can migrate in winter from Florida to Wisconsin in spring. Due to this, a second population of these migratory cranes was established on their own.

Conclusion

Ultra-light aircraft are used to guide birds to learn migration because they establish the imprints in them.