Fledge
Encyclopedia
Fledge is the stage in a young bird
's life when the feathers and wing
muscles are sufficiently developed for flight. It also describes the act of a chick's parents raising it to a fully grown state. A young bird that has recently fledged but is still dependent upon parental care and feeding is called a fledgling.
In ornithology
, the meaning of fledging varies, depending on species. Birds are sometimes considered fledged once they leave the nest
, even if they still cannot fly. Some definitions of fledge take it to mean the independence of the chick from the adults. Adults will often continue to feed the chick after it has left the nest and is able to fly.
One notable species, the Ancient Murrelet
, fledges two days after hatching, running from its burrow to the ocean
and its calling parents. Once it reaches the ocean, its parents care for it for several weeks. Other species, such as guillemot
s and some cormorant
s, leave the nesting site while they are still unable, or barely able, to fly. The fledging behaviour of the guillemot is spectacular; the adult will lead the chick through the colony if possible, for large drops like cliffs, it will fly down and call to its young. The chick will then launch itself off the cliff, attempting to fly as far as possible, crash landing on the ground below before continuing its run towards the ocean.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
's life when the feathers and wing
Wing
A wing is an appendage with a surface that produces lift for flight or propulsion through the atmosphere, or through another gaseous or liquid fluid...
muscles are sufficiently developed for flight. It also describes the act of a chick's parents raising it to a fully grown state. A young bird that has recently fledged but is still dependent upon parental care and feeding is called a fledgling.
In ornithology
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
, the meaning of fledging varies, depending on species. Birds are sometimes considered fledged once they leave the nest
Bird nest
A bird nest is the spot in which a bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young. Although the term popularly refers to a specific structure made by the bird itself—such as the grassy cup nest of the American Robin or Eurasian Blackbird, or the elaborately woven hanging nest of the...
, even if they still cannot fly. Some definitions of fledge take it to mean the independence of the chick from the adults. Adults will often continue to feed the chick after it has left the nest and is able to fly.
One notable species, the Ancient Murrelet
Ancient Murrelet
The Ancient Murrelet, Synthliboramphus antiquus, is a bird in the auk family. It breeds from the Yellow Sea , through the Russian Pacific coast and the Aleutian Islands to the Haida Gwaii archipelago of British Columbia, where about half of the world population breeds.These birds breed in colonies,...
, fledges two days after hatching, running from its burrow to the ocean
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
and its calling parents. Once it reaches the ocean, its parents care for it for several weeks. Other species, such as guillemot
Guillemot
Guillemots is the common name for several species of seabird in the auk family . In British use, the term comprises two genera: Uria and Cepphus. In North America the Uria species are called "murres" and only the Cepphus species are called "guillemots"...
s and some cormorant
Cormorant
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...
s, leave the nesting site while they are still unable, or barely able, to fly. The fledging behaviour of the guillemot is spectacular; the adult will lead the chick through the colony if possible, for large drops like cliffs, it will fly down and call to its young. The chick will then launch itself off the cliff, attempting to fly as far as possible, crash landing on the ground below before continuing its run towards the ocean.