BIRDS
The only animals with feathers, birds are found in all parts of the world. Many have superb flying skills, with strong chest muscles to power their flapping wings. There is a dazzling diversity of species, from soaring albatrosses and flamboyant peacocks to flightless rheas and tiny hummingbirds.
- ZEBRA FINCH Like many birds, the zebra finch of Australia lives in large flocks that fly and feed together for safety. Its stout bill is adapted for splitting the tough skins of grass seeds to get at their nourishing kernels.
- TAWNY EAGLE Eagles are powerful hunters. They target their prey while soaring high overhead, and then swoop down to seize it in their talons. The tawny eagle is also notorious for stealing the victims of other birds of prey.
- RHEA As tall as 1.5 m (5 ft), these large flightless birds roam the grassland of South America. They eat plants, nuts, seeds, and fruits, as well as insects and small animals, such as lizards.
- ALBATROSS The long, narrow wings of an albatross enable it to soar for hours on oceanic winds without moving a muscle. It feeds on marine animals, which it snatches from the ocean with its bill.
- SNOWY OWL Most owls hunt by night, but the snowy owl is active during the almost continuous daylight of the Arctic summer. It uses its acute hearing to locate small animals such as lemmings feeding beneath the snow.
- TOUCAN The enormous bill of the toco toucan is much lighter than it looks, because it is a hollow shell of lightweight horny material supported by criss-crossing internal struts. The toucan uses it for display as well as feeding.
- FLAMINGO Vast wading flocks of flamingos gather tiny animals and algae from warm lakes. Holding their extraordinary bills upside down in the shallows, they use their tongues to pump water through their sieve-like bill fringes to trap food.
- PEAFOWL The female peafowl, or peahen, looks drab and colourless compared to the dazzling male peacock, with his amazing courtship display of fanned tail feathers.
- WOODPECKER Woodpeckers use their powerful bills to carve out nesting holes in trees, and many also hack into soft timber to find insects. The green woodpecker catches ants with its extra-long tongue.
Picture Credit : Google
