The older Cahow chicks are fledging out to sea after their 12 to 14-week developmental period in their nest burrows on the Castle Harbour Islands, Bermuda. (Watch the LiveStreams here.)
They will not return to the nesting sites on 6 small islands in Castle Harbour for 3 to 6 years (2026 to 2029!) to establish new nest burrows and choose mates, which, generally being monogamous, they will stay with for the next 30 to 40+ years.
Out of a total of 73 chicks at all nesting colonies in 2023, a record number of 19 were produced at the 2 new translocation-established nesting colonies on Nonsuch Island. As of May 31st, 7 of the 19 have already fledged from Nonsuch, 5 are in their pre-fledging exercise period, with another 7 due to fledge by mid-June.
In the video below, watch as a chick exercises in the Nonsuch A Colony whilst imprinting on its surroundings.