Heron taught to fly by man - Pet insurance quote

Posted : 03-06-2008

A tame heron has been shown how to fly by an animal lover who taught the bird how to flap its wings, it has been reported.

Cornish wildlife expert Gary Zammit nursed the bird, which is named Dude, back to health after finding it in a storm-damaged nest in March, reports the Daily Mirror.

However, without a mother to show the pet-like baby heron how to fly, the bird could have spent its life stuck on the ground - until Mr Zammit gave a helpful, flapping hand.

The 42-year-old gave Dude lessons in flying by running alongside him and flapping his arms. Eventually, the heron copied his surrogate father and got off the ground.

"He began half-flying at a height of around three feet and he's gone on from there," Mr Zammit told the newspaper.

"Now he'll soar around the buildings and go up to 70 feet until I call him back down. It's a wonderful sight," he concluded.

The grey heron eats mainly fish and will visit gardens with ornamental pet fish ponds in search of food, according to the RSPB.

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