This sea eagle hunches over and spreads its wings to hide a fresh kill.


Practice, Practice, Practice A young raptor has a lot to learn. At


first, it makes mistakes. It may hunt prey that’s too big, for example. It also may drop its catch, or lose


it in a fight. Many raptors teach their chicks a behavior called mantling. A sea eagle does this. It spreads it wings over a kill to hide it from predators. A raptor can’t live and hunt on its


own until it’s learned all these lessons. It takes months. Until then, its parents stay close. T ey teach their young all they need to know to survive.


FAST FACT: Raptors have three eyelids. The third eyelid protects the eyes during


fl ight and when they eat. OCTOBER 2014 9


WORDWISE


fledgling: a bird that is learning to fly hawking: capturing prey in flight


mantling: the action of hunching shoulders and spreading wings over a recent kill to hide it from predators


raptor: a bird of prey still hunting: to hunt from a perch


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