While penguins might extremely noticable on land, when they are in the ocean, under the water, their black and white coloring helps them stay camouflaged and hidden from both predators and prey. As they swim, their black backs blend in with the darker ocean water below them so that they’re difficult to be seen by…Read More
Researchers have found that ducks and other birds sometimes sleep with one eye open. When they nap in groups, the ducks on the perimeter keep guard by sleeping with one eye open. While the other ducks sleep more deeply, those on the outside of the circle also keep one hemisphere of their brain awake, even…Read More
Acorn woodpeckers store acorns by drilling holes in trees, fence posts, utility poles, and buildings, and depositing their nuts there. They have been known to store up to 50,000 acorns (each in its own tiny hole) in a single tree, called a “granary tree.” See more Woodpecker posts here Read more Fast Fact Bird posts…Read More
Puffins are known for digging burrows and mating for life (just like the Egyptian Goose) but a recent discovery has made the seabird seem even more unique. British ornithologist, Jamie Dunning, found that the beaks of Atlantic puffins are fluorescent and glow a bright blue when placed under an ultraviolet light. Dunning made the discovery back in…Read More
Arctic Terns have the longest (in distance) yearly migration of any animal in the world. They travel from the Arctic, where they breed, all the way to Antarctica and back. Literally from one end of the world to the other! They cover a distance of a minimum of 44,000 miles (that’s 71 000 km) every…Read More
In the Bible, Leviticus 11:13–19, Hoopoes were listed among the animals that are detestable and should not be eaten. They are also listed in Deuteronomy (14:18) as not kosher.
The Lady Amherst pheasant is found in the desolate mountain regions of China and Tibet, but has also been introduced into England. The male is considered to be one of the most colorful birds in the world. The name commemorates Sarah Countess Amherst, wife of William Pitt Amherst, Governor General of Bengal, who was responsible…Read More
The Pygmy Falcon is the smallest Bird of Prey. It weighs only 60-70g and is only about 150mm from the beak to the tip of the tail. They mainly eat insect and small lizards.
The Plum-coloured Starlings (also known as Violet-backed Starlings) have a marked difference between the the sexes. The Male is a bright, eye catching plum/violet colour whereas the female is a much plainer tawny brown. After breeding (which usually occurs between late February and April) the sexes form separate, nomadic flocks as they migrate from Southern to…Read More
The male Buzzard performs an impressive aerial display known as “The Roller Coaster”! He flies straight up, then flips around and speeds downwards towards the Earth, all the while spiraling and twisting. He then swoops back up again and continues the display. The point of it all? To attract a female mate – or even…Read More