Feeding Their Young Most raptor chicks hatch with their


eyes open. T eir parents are the first things that they see. T ey snuggle close to their mother to keep warm. T e chicks eat meat the day they’re


born. At first, only the father goes out to hunt for food. T e mother stays in the nest to protect the chicks. T e father comes back with prey. It’s too big for the chicks. So the parents rip the food into small pieces. Aſt er a few weeks, raptor chicks


grow fuzzy, white feathers. T is soſt down keeps the chicks warm. Now, the mother can make short trips away from the nest. Both parents hunt for food. T e chicks stay in the nest. T ey eat, sleep, and grow.


Defending Their Nest Sometimes, animals get too close to


the nest. T en raptor parents attack. T ey protect their chicks. A falcon oſt en threatens predators with its sharp talons. Most owls defend their nests by


looking tough. An owl fluff s out its feathers to make itself look bigger. It might fan its wings and snap its beak. It might even hiss.


Flight School A raptor chick’s body changes quickly.


In about six weeks, it loses its down feathers. It grows its adult feathers. It starts to flap its wings in the nest. T is helps its wings grow strong. Now, it’s time for its parents to


teach it to fly. A bird that is learning to fly is called a fledgling. First, the chick learns to perch on


the edge of its nest. T en it hops out onto a tree branch. It holds onto the branch, and stretches and flaps its wings. Finally, it steps off the branch. It flutters down to a lower limb safely. Sometimes, a fledgling lands on the


ground. It may not be strong enough to fly back to its nest. Its parents will help it. T ey will feed the fledgling on the ground until it can fly.


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