National Aviary Welcomes Adorable Grey Crowned Crane Chick
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The National Aviary is introducing their newest, fluffiest baby to the public today.
According to the Aviary, the Grey Crowned Crane chick hatched back on July 27 and since then it's been doing a lot of growing.
The baby is covered in soft, fuzzy, down feathers right now. The Aviary says a DNA test will later determine whether its a boy or girl.
The chick weighed just 87 grams at its hatching, but will reach full adult size, standing at just over 3-feet tall, in just three months.
"It's amazing to be able to watch these chicks grow and thrive," Cathy Schlott, the Aviary's curator of Behavioral Management and Education. "They grow at a very rapid pace. In fact, that chick - within three months - is going to be full size, around six to seven pounds."
- PHOTO GALLERY: Click here to flip through more photos of the chick!
The chick enjoys running around the Aviary's Rose Garden lawn.
"Having a chick is just like having a human baby. It takes a lot of care and effort to make sure all of their needs are met," Schlott said.
Part of that care includes a grain-based diet, including insects and greens.
WATCH: Grey Crowned Crane Chick Debut --
The National Aviary says Grey Crowned Cranes may be one of the most recognizable cranes, but it is also an endangered species. They are native to Africa.
Visitors can see the chick multiple times a day as it exercise in the Rose Garden.
"Grey Crowned Cranes are an endangered species, so when people come to see the chick, we can educate them about why they're endangered, why the cranes here in the United States are endangered and what we can all do to protect these species in their natural habitats," Schlott said.
The baby will also serve as an educational ambassador to schools and other experiences.
