Original air date: 23 December 1998

Above is a graphical presentation of the timeline of the episode, below is a more detailed text version

Selected material:
Rearing young

Young birds are very sensitive to “imprinting”, regarding the first thing they see as their parent. Consequently if a parent is not around – as in the above case – something looking the same way should be used. Attenborough is in another room showing the parent-like glove used to feed the young.
Teaching them to fly

Same applies to teaching them to fly; something parent-like should do that job
Teaching them migration

Most animals don’t know where to go in winter. Since humans can’t fly a microlite had to be used, to take them to the right destination. In this case this somebody being human-like was in control but should, hopefully, not be too conspicuous for the birds to take notice.
Final words: “Birds were flying from continent to continent long before we were. They reached the coldest place on earth, Antarctica, long before we did. They can survive in the hottest of deserts. Some can remain on the wing for years at a time. They can girdle the globe. Now, we have taken over the earth and the sea and the sky, but with skill and care and knowledge we can ensure that there is still a place on earth for birds in all their beauty and variety… if we want to, and surely we should.“