"That's really nice," said Boo. "What kind birds they are."
As the bears walked along, they kept glancing back to see whether the geese were following them or not.
"It's a good job those goslings haven't just been born," continued Bubbles, "because they are impressionable little birds who, when they hatch, will follow just about anything that moves, from dogs to humans, mistaking the creatures for their mother. This is called 'imprinting'."
"They could have seen us first and thought they were little bears!" interrupted Boo, giggling. Everyone thought that would be very funny.
"But goslings use this skill to mimic the adult birds," continued Bubbles, "learning how to swim and what to eat just 24 hours after hatching. Their parents don't have to provide them with food - they know what to eat just by following what the adults eat, which is basically seeds, grasses, roots, grains, bulbs, berries and aquatic plants."
