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Once the chick is active, eating and digesting normally, can pick food up by itself, is thermo‐
regulating and vocalizing, it can be placed in a rearing chamber with other eaglets of similar age.

­ Common­Medical­Problems

Lead­Poisoning

Once the patient is stable it is advisable to get an x‐ray to ensure there are no lead fragments or
hooks in the digestive system. Lead fragments as well as hooks, sinkers, and fishing line are regu-
larly found in eaglets still in the nest. It is good practice to do a blood lead test on admission of all
eagles including eaglets as they may have seen exposed to lead in the food fed to them by the parent
on the nest. Lead exposure causes neurological problems as well as other nonspecific symptoms
that may be misinterpreted as injury from fall from a nest or other incident.

Imprinting
Imprinting is a learning process by which a newborn or very young animal establishes a behavior
pattern of recognition and attraction to its own species. It is a permanent learning process and
alters the animal for its lifetime. Imprinting cannot be reversed or changed. Imprinted eagles and
other raptor species are not suitable for release to the wild. They have very little option for life in
captivity. The harsh reality is, because they become aggressive to humans, dogs, or whatever
crosses their path, most imprints are killed either by their wild counterparts or by humans they
encounter. When we hear of an eagle or raptor acting aggressively toward a human, outside of a
nesting situation, it is likely a human imprint. The window of imprinting begins at hatch and in
large species like eagles, condors, and vultures, the period of imprinting continues to some degree
past fledging. The author has found that in situations of serious injury or trauma, a fledged eaglet
can revert and once again be susceptible to malimprinting to humans. In the case of an injured
fledged eaglet, it is important to limit human contact and place them with other eagles as soon as
possible, even as they continue to recover from their injuries. The presence of other eagles of any
age will reinforce their natural behavior and avoid malimprinting. Isolation of the young eagle
does not replace contact with its own species.
A great deal of information is transferred to the chick by a parent bird including appropriate
body language, vocal cues, and behaviors. This information in totality allows the young bird to be
accepted by its counterparts in wild society (Wilson 2001). The society of birds is more complicated
than previously understood. We continue to learn as we gain experience with these species. New
methods including nest cams allow us to observe and better understand natural behaviors at the
nest and social requirements as never before (see Box 21.1 Webcams). Social behaviors, including
proper vocalization and knowing how to interact with all age groups of other eagles, is key to the
young bird being successful in the wild.

Habituation
Habituation is the process of people or animals becoming comfortable with something or a situ-
ation, so that they no longer find it unpleasant or think it is a threat. It does not affect the iden-
tity of the species and is not a permanent condition. Habituation is essentially taming, and can