Juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons
In wildlife rehabilitation, the term “conspecific” refers to individuals belonging to the same species. In practice, this term is important because conspecifics can sometimes be housed together or serve as foster parents. This week at Tucson Wildlife Center, our wildlife care team has been introducing a young orphaned juvenile night heron to two older orphaned night herons that had arrived at the Center slightly earlier than the nestling. By housing them in the same enclosure, we aim to encourage natural behaviors and foster social interactions that are crucial for development and eventual release back into the wild. Watch the video to meet one of our vets, Dr. Lyn, as she introduces you to the now older nestling night heron.
To ensure the safety and well-being of each of the night herons, the youngest heron is gradually being introduced to the older juveniles during the day, under the watchful supervision of one of our wildlife care team members and cameras. Behaviors are closely monitored, looking for signs of aggression, stress or fear. At night, the nestling is confined in a separate enclosure within the flight aviary, with night cameras monitoring the area. These cameras allow our team to observe the herons’ behaviors during their most active period.
If you would like to help patients like these black-crowned night herons, click this link to donate:
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Click on the picture below to watch a video.
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