Each morning they rise up in vast, graceful waves and fly to fields nearby, where they spend their days assiduously feeding on waste corn the harvesters missed and earthworms and other invertebrates.

While touching a bird when it is learning to fly can be detrimental to its ability to fly, it doesn't stop mother birds from feeding or caring for their chicks.

"They fly low over the water and catch surface-feeding fish, such as the mosquitofish, with their claws," Aihartza said.