Imprinting is the neurological process of learning a behavior quickly and permanently. In filial imprinting, species that depend on their parents for survival "imprint on" their mother, or what they assume is their mother, immediately after birth or hatching. Newborn animals imprint will never forget the intense attachment formed because imprinting means that their brains have become "hard-wired" with knowledge that their parents bring safety, food, and warmth. As a result, not only will they always recognize their parents, but they will also recognize their own kind- what is "us" and what is "them." Imprinting is easy to identify in birds, such as geese, which leave the nest shortly after hatching. Filial imprinting is especially important to the survival of such a species. Newborns can follow their mother to search for food and safety, and they can find her again if they become lost. Imprinting also can enable young animals to recognize possible predators.