To ensure the ongoing survival of many endangered bird species chicks are raised in captivity and once mature are released to the wild. The entire population of the resulting flocks becomes long-term northern residents shy of the chance to migrate since they lack the basic skills normally learned from experienced elders.

The Operation Migration group has developed a hard won capability that trains birds to follow the lead of ultralight aircraft in flight. As strange as that may seem the web site will fill you in on all the details on how well they have succeeded. You may read reports of the flights as they happen and discover how caring human beings dedicate their time, comfort and safety to our disadvantaged waterfowl.

Birds have an instinctive natural process called “imprinting”. It refers to the trust a newly hatched waterfowl chick has for the first object they see as they emerge from the shell. Once they see it they follow it as if it was a parent and they become inseparable. The Operation Migration team starts their efforts to becoming surrogates while the chick is still in its shell. Once hatched, they learn from the first moment to accept a bird like puppet, actually a disguised human, as a parent.

Within days of birth the chicks are conditioned to accept ultralight aircraft and begin “taxi training” that later will lead to learning a migration route to a safe wintering site. As the birds grow and develop their flight feathers they are taught to follow the aircraft as they would their parents.

The Operation Migration web site has more than enough streaming videos of the trials and tribulations you might expect in their endeavors. You can learn about the communication methods used to keep track of each bird, the cooperation between volunteers needed along the flight path, the problems the birds encounter as they rest along the voyage, and the dedication of the Operation Management team.

There is not one bit of critical commentary I will make about this web site. It will show you that a lot of people are expending a lot of energy and human kindness to a dying breed of birds by trying to insure their continuation on our planet. There may be other more important projects needing attention on our troubled Earth but Operation Migration is making a very important contribution. It may seem almost comedic that we humans have to teach birds how to fly migration paths by training them to accept an aircraft as a flock leader, but it works.

Take a look at the web site. You may find something you didn’t expect.