ABOVE Having not
seen her mate for two
months, the female
returns shortly after
hatching time. Amid
the chaos of black-
and-white wings, she
somehow finds her
partner, re-a rming
the pair-bond with
calls and touching of
bellies before feeding
her chick for the
first time. “During
courtship, a pair goes
to great lengths to
synchronise with each
other to ensure they
will be reunited later,”
says Stefan. “They are
deeply attached.”December 2019 BBC Wildlife 49