Up in the owl nests, baby owls will leave the nest one by one to move to nearby trees in a process that’s known as fledging. In this BBC Earth footage, a sibling has already left the nest, leaving two owls remaining – and we watch them as they prepare to take their terrifying first leap.
An owl’s wingspan will eventually reach 1.5 metres, but currently these owls’ wings are too small and weak to fly. They’re still being fed in the nest by their parents, but this will soon stop – unless they take the jump.
They totter around the nest, testing their nerve and trying to pluck up the courage to fly. This process can take days, with the owls practising the motion and taking small steps forward. After 24 days, one of the owls takes its clumsy debut flight – not entirely a success, but an adorable first step.
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Top image credit: Getty Images
