All language subtitles for Epic.Yellowstone.S01E03.Life.on.the.Wing.1080p.WEB.h264-CAFFEiNE

Hi, I'm bill pullman.

The film you're about to see

Reveals a side of yellowstone
that few appreciate,

Soaring over the park
with a bird's-eye view.

In the shadow
of bison and bears,

Birds live a complex
and fascinating life

In all of yellowstone's
habitats.

There's a family of ospreys
nesting hundreds of feet up

On a tiny column of rock

Overlooking
the yellowstone falls.

There's a moment when the chicks
are ready to take off

For their first flight.

It's a rare glimpse
of the drama that plays out

In nests hidden
all over the park.

This is the story of
yellowstone's birds,

Life on the wing.

♪

It's home to birds
of every feather...

[thrumming]

[chirping]

Drawn to its wildest reaches.

Hunters patrol the canyons.

Protectors stand guard
in the wetlands.

[croaking and chirping]

Providers toil in the forests.

These are the wings
that soar over yellowstone...

Gathering from distant horizons

To make the most of summer's
brief abundance.

♪

[chirping]

They must survive
among giants...

In a place where winter
is never far away.

♪

A single purpose
drives them on--

An urgent need
they must fulfill.

[screeching]

To seize opportunity
in the season of plenty

And give flight
to the next generation.

♪

[chirping]

[squawking]

A winter morning in yellowstone.

Warmth and color are gone.

But a single song fills the air.

[twittering]

Wearing tiny slippers of ice,

The dipper is undeterred
by subzero temperatures.

Rapids on the yellowstone river

Have frozen into
a slippery staircase.

Perfect hunting grounds
for the dipper.

♪

North america's
only truly aquatic songbird

Dives beneath the ice

In search of insect larvae
hiding on the rocky river bed.

Its waterproof feathers
protect a downy coat

As it probes under pebbles
in the swift current.

♪

Few birds remain in yellowstone
through the bitter winter.

Resident bald eagles
are resourceful scavengers,

Flying vast distances
in search of meals.

Ravens track wolves,

Looting their kills.

And alone on this
tiny stretch of open water,

The dipper thrives
among the ice.

But soon its solitary winter
on the river

Will come to an end.

♪

[honk honk]

[chirping]

As the days grow longer,

A chorus gradually returns
to yellowstone.

[birds calling]

Spring is the season
of arrival...

[honking]

Of emergence...

[chirping]

[honking]

A concert of new life.

[trilling]

[squawking]

Rising above it all
is an unmistakable sound.

[warbling]

A pair of sandhill cranes,

Early migrants

From their winter range
in the southwest.

[warbling]

They've landed
in grizzly territory

In a high alpine meadow.

They must be cautious,

But they don't
have time to waste.

They're here to take advantage

Of yellowstone's
brief season of abundance--

A race...

To breed and rear their young
before the cold returns.

Each spring, the sandhill cranes
revive their courtship.

[warbling]

A dance.

[bear groans]

They coordinate
their movements...

[warbling]

And call in unison.

[warbling]

She tilts her bill skyward
in signal of readiness...

[warbles]

And the cranes
renew their union.

[warbling]

Now they can begin
their search for a home.

The ground nesters
will seek a secluded wetland,

Out of the way
of curious onlookers

And potential predators.

♪

For sandhills,
a mate is a partner for life.

But for others,

Coupling can be a quick
and dramatic affair.

Just outside of yellowstone's
western boundary,

A remote valley opens up to
a vast expanse of sage meadows.

♪

♪

[thrumming]

An intriguing sound

Draws a female sage grouse
to a spring gathering.

And she's not the only one
who hears it.

All across the meadow,
hens are converging on a lek,

A stage where males
display their wares.

The hen peruses the offerings,

Judging every detail.

A fancy fan of tail feathers...

Bright yellow eye-combs...

Erect plumage...

A large breast pouch.

But most important to the hen
is the sound.

A courting call
produced from his air sac,

Which he fills

And flaunts.

His elaborate display
attracts her interest.

But the morning is young.

And the field
is full of prospects.

She continues her review.

In choosing the showiest males,

Female sage grouse select traits

That are useful
only in courtship.

Bright decorations
and ungainly pouches

Are a disadvantage
in a world of predators.

By surviving
in spite of these burdens,

A male proves that he has
strong genes to pass on.

And the hen takes note.

♪

[thrumming]

She makes her selection.

But the male is wrapped up
in his performance.

He keeps on strutting.

And someone else
catches her eye.

A rival,

Ready to compete.

The standoff begins
with posturing.

[clucking]

The males size each other up.

It's an even match.

And backing down now would mean
losing the chance to breed.

♪

♪

[clucking]

♪

The rival claims
a beak full of feathers,

And with it, victory.

His opponent loses his chance.

The winner briefly serves
his only purpose,

Passing his superior strengths
to their offspring.

But the female sage grouse
will raise them alone.

Late spring warms
yellowstone's high country,

Melting the snowpack
and revealing fields of green.

♪

Billions of gallons of water
drain into yellowstone lake

And pour over the falls.

In a matter of weeks,

The yellowstone river surges
to 25 times its winter flow.

The annual spring flood
is underway.

The dipper's hunting grounds
are transformed.

[chirping]

And new neighbors have moved in.

Harlequin ducks.

[quacking]

Like the dippers,

Harlequin ducks
avoid competition

By exploiting a place
few others can--

The whitewater.

Beneath the raging rapids,

Aquatic insects grow large
in the oxygenated waters.

♪

The ducks have arrived

From wintering grounds
on the pacific coast.

Lifelong partners
are preparing to breed.

But some ducks have no mates.

The paired harlequins
must be watchful.

[calling]

In the chaos of the rapids,

Bachelor males test the strength
of the established couple.

They rush the female,

Working to separate her
from her mate.

The male must
drive away intruders

While guarding his partner.

♪

[chirping]

♪

Together, they ward off
constant attacks

Until they successfully breed.

[calling]

[twittering]

The rituals of spring
in yellowstone

Unfold in a steady rhythm.

[thunder]

But the season here
is anything but predictable.

Everything can change
in a moment.

[calling]

More than half
of yellowstone's wetlands

Are seasonal.

[geese honking]

They fill with spring melt,

Then vanish in the summer heat.

As these ephemeral marshes
come to life,

They provide pockets of habitat
for the returning birds.

Using last year's reeds
and sedges,

The sandhill cranes
have built a nest.

A moat of water
protects their site.

But the marsh offers no shelter
from the sudden spring snow.

The parents-to-be take shifts,

Guarding two
temperature-sensitive eggs.

They must trade posts quickly.

The warmth of their bodies
will give the eggs

Their only chance
of surviving the blizzard.

♪

Birds that lay their eggs early
give their chicks a head start.

But they must commit to enduring
the late spring storms,

Or lose everything.

[warbling]

♪

♪

As the snowfall accumulates,

Mammals continue to move.

Bison push toward
summer pasture.

Grizzlies forage,

Making up for calories lost
during hibernation.

But the birds are bound
to the nest as guardians...

Buried by responsibility.

Exposed in the storm,

An empty nest balances
on a pillar of stone.

Perched hundreds of feet
above the river,

It's buffeted by the wind
that howls through the canyon

At the base of yellowstone's
iconic lower falls.

In these conditions,

It's no place for an osprey
to keep eggs warm.

[calling]

But she must take a gamble.

If she waits any longer
to breed,

Her chicks won't have time
to grow and fledge

Before their fall migration.

[calling]

So, in spite of the blizzard,

She calls in her mate.

♪

[chirp]

♪

[chirping]

♪

This pair's legacy

Is now at the mercy
of the elements.

[chirping]

For their eggs to survive,
the weather must change quickly.

[chirping]

And in yellowstone,
it often does.

[thunder]

The mountain bluebird

Can take no chances
in the fickle spring weather.

[thunder]

At the edge of a forest
stands a gnarled fir tree.

Its days are numbered.

But still, it nurtures life.

Its hollowed refuge

Holds the bluebird's mate
and their eggs,

Sheltering them
from the extremes.

[chirping]

After 10 days
of incubating her clutch,

The bluebird is restless,

And beneath her,
she feels stirrings.

♪

A tree is a wonderful place
to hide from the big world.

But climbing back down
to the ground can be tricky.

While their mother was foraging,

Two tiny black bear cubs
hid stashed in the canopy,

Out of the path
of aggressive grizzlies

That roam the meadows.

She retrieves them
when it's time to nurse.

♪

The bluebird summons his mate.

[chirping]

He delivers his gift--

A fat caterpillar,

The bluebird's favorite meal.

[chirping]

His song, sung for her,

Reassures her that all is well
outside the nest.

♪

[chirping]

80% of yellowstone
is covered in forest.

Its edges provide both
protection and opportunity.

♪

[cub screeching]

As the cubs begin to explore
the rich habitat,

Their mother will teach them

The resourcefulness
of the omnivore...

[screeching]

Seeking out meals
wherever they can be found.

[chirping]

All along their route,
the neighbors keep close watch.

[squawk]

There's a reason
the northern flicker

Chooses a home with sturdy walls
and a very small door.

♪

[chirping]

The black bear's short claws
make her an agile climber.

[groaning]

She can hear the flicker

And its chicks
moving in the nest.

[bird chirping]

[chirping]

But try as she might,
she can't get to them.

The protection
of the cavity holds.

[chirping]

And everyone can relax.

[calls]

[groaning]

[chirping]

After two weeks of incubation,

The baby bluebirds begin to push
against their shells.

[chirping]

Their mother calls
with encouragement.

Maybe tonight
she'll meet her chicks.

Melting snow and falling rain
have revived the marsh.

[croaking]

All around the crane,
the wetland wakes...

[croaking]

Fills with sound.

[croaking]

[screeching]

[squawking]

She's sat through the night

And waits to be relieved
by her mate.

[screeching]

But he's late.

In his approach,
he's trespassed.

The red-wing blackbird
is fiercely territorial.

[chirping and warbling]

And it has backup.

[chirping]

♪

When he finally arrives,
he's met with his new task.

♪

Parenting.

♪

Only hours old,

The colt stands,

Ready to meet its protector.

[warbling]

The cranes reaffirm their bond

As they embark on this new phase
of their union...

[warbling]

The care of a tiny colt.

In the nest, a second egg
hasn't yet hatched.

But concern for the egg
is quickly pushed aside

By more pressing danger.

♪

[warbling]

A life on the ground
means a life among predators.

The sandhill cranes
meet danger head on,

Putting themselves between
the coyote and their nest.

[warbling]

But in their effort
to defend their chick,

The parents have exposed
the colt to another threat.

♪

The northern harrier
courses yellowstone's marshes,

Gliding low.

Flightless, without shelter,

The colt is an easy target.

♪

[chirping]

[squeak]

♪

Today's catch is a mouse.

The colt is spared.

But the close call
serves as a reminder.

The success of this family
of ground nesters

Will require the constant
vigilance of both parents,

Until they're ready to leave
their summer residence.

♪

Yellowstone national park
is no ordinary home.

Here, an active volcano
rumbles beneath the surface.

[hissing]

It releases gases
and heats groundwater,

Transforming the terrain.

Yellowstone
is constantly in flux,

A land reforged.

The flow of mineral-rich waters
builds dramatic features.

And when geothermal formations
become dormant,

New habitats rise.

On the vertical face
of an old hot spring,

Dawn erupts in a frenzy.

[chirping]

[chirping]

[chirping]

Cliff swallows
migrate thousands of miles

From wintering grounds
in south america.

They live life on the wing,

Visiting the ground
only when they must,

To collect something simple
but crucial--

Mud.

They ferry tiny droplets
back to the cliff,

Gradually constructing
their home for the season.

[chirping]

Each nest is built from
a thousand individual pellets,

Which means a thousand trips
to the river.

Hard work.

But not everyone
is so industrious.

Some will try to steal
from a neighbor.

Leaving a nest unattended
is risky.

Partners exchange guard duty.

And short trips out are best.

At this colony of swallows,
visitors lend a helping hand.

♪

As herds of bison move,

They transform the landscape.

[chirping]

All around the cone
of the dormant spring,

The bison churn the earth.

[chirping]

♪

Even the playful calves
do their part.

Stirring the mud...

[chirping]

Making a perfect mix.

With the bison's help,

The cliff swallows
have a shorter commute...

[chirping]

Which means more time for work.

[chirping]

The result is rapid expansion.

Throughout the spring,

The population of yellowstone
continues to rise.

♪

Just minutes after it's born,
a bison calf stands.

In less than an hour,
it joins the herd--

Its only defense
against predators.

♪

For calves, every moment
spent frisking and sparring

Builds strength and speed...

And makes more mud.

♪

♪

The swallows'
construction project

Lasts for about a week.

They'll lay their eggs
even before the mud has dried.

The work of nurturing
the next generation

Fills the meadow...

[groaning]

And the skies.

Mammals carry
nourishment with them,

Nursing their young with milk.

But birds must leave the nest
to gather food for their chicks.

♪

The eagle traces
the river corridor,

The lifeblood
of its summer habitat.

It scans the channel for fish,

The banks for waterfowl.

♪

[chirping]

[chirping]

Its mate feeds hungry mouths
the last remains of a duck.

But their appetites grow faster
than their wings.

And hunger can turn siblings
into savage rivals.

♪

Hunting has become
a constant chore

For both of the bluebirds.

Liberated from the nest,
the female joins the pursuit.

Six chicks require
a perpetual supply of insects.

And each delivery
compels a separate hunt.

♪

♪

[chirping]

♪

Together, the parents make
over a dozen trips each hour.

[chirping]

♪

And the chicks grow
with remarkable speed.

Their demand is timed perfectly
with yellowstone's supply.

[chirping]

[tweeting]

At the height of summer,

Insects are plentiful
in the meadow.

[chirping]

Bluebirds aren't
the only winged hunters

Reaping the bounty.

Dragonflies evolved
300 million years ago

And took to the air
before any other creature.

♪

Four wings power the most
primitive form of flight.

Over the millennia,

The dragonfly has perfected
the art of the attack.

It has 360-degree vision

And processes images
five times faster than a human.

Nothing escapes its attentions.

Few can avoid its grasp.

♪

♪

♪

[fluttering]

♪

[chirp]

Fed by this summer's abundance,

The bluebird chicks have grown.

After less than three weeks,

They're nearly ready to fledge,

To hunt on their own.

Their parents encourage them
to leave quickly.

Summer won't last forever,

And the bluebirds are ready to
get started on batch number two.

♪

♪

Deep in the grand canyon
of the yellowstone,

The male osprey returns
to its nest empty-handed.

♪

[falls roaring]

♪

♪

[chirping]

Perched high above the falls,

His family waits expectantly.

But he has nothing to offer
the three chicks,

Who are still far from fledging.

[chirping]

His mate heads off
in search of better luck.

There are signs of trouble here.

The youngest chick
huddles motionless

Between its larger siblings.

[chirping]

When food is limited,
the youngest suffers most.

Its survival may depend
on today's hunt.

[chirping]

The osprey is a specialist.

Evolved for life on the water,

She preys exclusively
on live fish.

She spots her target from above

With vision
that cuts through the glare

On the river's surface.

[chirping]

[splash]

A miss.

But her hunt is just beginning.

♪

♪

Still, she has nothing
for the chicks.

♪

[chirping]

But in a quiet lake,

Her mate has found
a better opportunity.

Here, each summer,
trout gather to spawn.

They're occupied
with the task at hand,

Laying their eggs,

And oblivious
to the osprey's approach.

[chirping]

[splash]

[chirping]

♪

He heads for home.

But his catch is not safe yet.

[squawking]

A peregrine falcon,

The world's fastest bird,

Is after his prize.

Today's attack is unusual.

Peregrines are superb hunters
on the wing,

But they're not known
as thieves.

♪

[chirping]

[squawking]

Against the superior flier,

The osprey has only one tactic
that might work--

Ditching into the water,

Where the peregrine
can't follow.

♪

[squawking]

Thanks to his evasive maneuver,

He has something to bring
his waiting chicks.

♪

[chirping]

[chirp]

[chirping]

His mate feeds
the two larger siblings.

But the smallest,

Crouched
at the edge of the nest,

Is too weak to join the feast.

[chirping]

At the eagle nest
on the river bend,

Competition
is also taking a toll.

Driven by self-preservation,

The larger sibling
works to eliminate its rival.

Its parent watches on,

Unmoved to act.

One healthy chick is better
than two going hungry.

[chirp]

Now the chick can take
every meal for itself.

[chirp]

The victor dons new plumage:

The black feathers
of a fledgling.

In the coming weeks,

He'll begin testing
his strengths,

Preparing to leave the nest.

As summer ends,
new journeys approach.

The sandhill chick now stands
nearly as tall as its parents.

The urge to fly
will soon take hold.

♪

But for the dipper,
life will always be aquatic.

[chirping]

And fledging is not a matter
of taking to the air.

The juvenile dipper,

Distinguished by a yellow beak,

Has just left the nest.

It watches closely

And tries out all the moves.

Foraging...

[chirp]

Dipping...

[chirp]

[chirp]

And, of course, swimming.

♪

♪

Some skills you're born with.

The juvenile dipper will be
completely independent soon.

[squawking]

But a meal is always welcome.

When the young dipper is ready,

It will move
into its own territory

Not far away.

Perhaps just around
the riverbend.

But not every nest
is so easy to leave.

A first osprey has fledged.

Its only surviving sibling
hesitates.

There's no room for error here.

Cautiously,
it tests its wings in the wind.

[chirping]

♪

♪

A maiden voyage

Over one of the greatest
landscapes on earth.

♪

New challenges lie ahead.

For most of yellowstone's birds,

A long migration.

For the few who stay,

Winter's hardship.

As the summer draws to a close,

Seasonal visitors part ways.

But they will return
to yellowstone,

And fill its skies
with life on wings.

[warbling]

It's an image
I'll hold for a lifetime--

The position
of that osprey nest,

Perched on a pinnacle

Overlooking
the yellowstone falls.

And when you continue
the journey down the river,

You realize that
the story of yellowstone

Doesn't end
at the park boundary.

In the next "epic yellowstone,"

We discover how a river
that's allowed to run free

Carries with it
that same wild spirit.

It's an epic journey,

Down the river wild.