Amazing Birds 2
This is the second list of amazing birds.
There are thousands of facts that we don’t know about amazing birds. One article is not enough to satisfy our curiosity for knowledge. The first “The Amazing Birds” article drew hundreds of positive feedbacks and some readers asked and requested if there could be a follow up article. So, here it it is fellows, Part 2 of “The Amazing Birds”. Hope you ‘ll enjoy reading it. ,
Smelliest Bird
The Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) is a tropical bird that lives in swamps, humid lowlands, backward lagoons and mangroves of northern and central South America. A slender bird about 65 cm in length, with small head and a long neck. Hoatzin is brown in color with featherless blue face and with spiky, rufous crest. It also has maroon eyes and dark-brown upperparts and buff underparts. What makes this bird amazing or odd — it has a smell similar to cow manure. This odor could be the by-product when its diet of green leaves inter-act with a special digestive system.
Most Creative Decorator
The Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) is found mostly along Australia’s south-eastern coast living in woodlands, rain forests and nearby open areas. Younger ones are called ‘green bird’ with olive-green colored upperparts plumage, off-white underbody and brown wings. Adult males have shiny blue-black plumage and can grow up to 27cm to 33cm in length. The amazing thing about Satin bowerbird is the way it creates an elaborate “bachelor pad”. Studies show that males build this “bachelor pad” called bowers and decorates it with shiny objects specially blue-colored ones that may include: flowers, berries and even drinking straws and other useless plastic items.
Most Skilled Nest Builder
The Southern Masked-Weaver (Ploceus velatus) is found throughout southern Africa inhabiting woodlands and grasslands. It has yellow head, orange eye, black bill and yellow-green underbody. What’s amazing about this bird is the way it build its nest. In just five days it makes an intricate sphere-like nest from grass with a bottom entrance that hangs from the tip of an overhead branch.
Longest Bills
The Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) is a medium-sized pelican endemic on the coastal waters of Australia and New Guinea. It is largely white with black blemish on the wings and about 1.6 to 1.8 m long and weigh up to 4 to 13 kg. The Australian pelican’s pinkish bill is 13-18.5 inches long, the largest bill of any known bird. A bill measured at 49 cm (19.5 in) long holds the record.
Largest Wingspan
The wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) holds the record among the avian world for the largest wingspan. Its 11 feet wingspan helps this oceanic bird glides efficiently over the sea’s surface snatching its meal which include: squid, fish, octopus and other marine animals.
Largest Field of Vision
The American woodcock (Scolopax minor) is a small shorebird from North America that lives in wet wooded lands and forest. It is tubby, with round head, a long straight bill and short pinkish legs. It holds the record among all known birds for the largest field of vision. American woodcock is able to see things all round and even over the top of its head because its large eyes are situated high in the head.
Tallest Flying Birds
The Sarus crane is found in India and some countries in Southeast Asia. It is the tallest flying bird in the world. It can reach 6 ft. 6 inches in height and a wingspan of about 8 feet. These elegant birds body is light gray in color except for the throat and head. The toes and legs are red in color. It prefers habitat that include: agricultural lands, ponds, marshes and uncultivated fields. Its diet include: frogs, aquatic plants, seeds and grain.
Heaviest Flying Birds
The Great Bustard (Otis tarda) is the world’s heaviest flying bird. Widespread in Europe and across temperate Asia, it can weigh about 40-42 pounds. An adult male is about 90-110 cm long and a wingspan of about 2.1-2.5 m. It has grey neck and head and brownish upperparts with white underbody.It lives in open grassland and rolling landscapes abundant in crops (cereals, oilseeds, fodder plants).
Heaviest Birds of Prey
Andean condors (Vultur gryphus) are massive birds found in Andes mountains and western South America. These black condors with white “collar” around their necks are the heaviest species of bird of prey. Adult males can weigh up to 20-27 pounds and a wingspan of about 10 feet. They usually lives in windy mountain regions where they can glide on air currents with ease. Andean Condors are mainly scavengers and their diet include among others; deer, cattle, large animals and carcasses.
Most Airborne Bird
The Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscous) is a seabird living in tropical oceans throughout the equatorial zone. It breeds on flat, open, oceanic or barrier islands of sand rich in fish, squid and plankton. It is about 33-36 cm long with a 82-94 cm wingspan. What’s special about sooty tern is that it leaves its nesting grounds as a juvenile and remains in the air for 3-10 years, settling on water from time to time. It then settle back to land as an adult to breed.
Fastest Swimming Bird
The Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua) has widespread populations found on the Antarctic Islands. This medium-sized penguin with an orange bill and a wide white bonnet-like stripe across the head is the undisputed fastest swimming bird. It can go underwater reaching speeds of 40 km/h.
Most Abundant Bird
The red- billed quelea (Quelea quelea) is a small bird found throughout Africa and is the world’s most abundant bird. Its breeding habitat include savannas, bushes, grasslands and agricultural lands. It has an estimated breeding population of more than 1.5 billion. Red-billed Quelea mostly feed on grass seeds and grain.
Liked it
34 Responses to “Amazing Birds 2”
On April 5, 2009 at 2:44 am
Thanks for another interesting article with great pics.
Inna
On April 5, 2009 at 2:47 am
Wow papaleng! These are truly amazing. It surprises me that the penguin is the fastest swimming bird. Another excellent article. Well done.
Christine
On April 5, 2009 at 2:50 am
Another outstanding article with great pictures.
On April 5, 2009 at 3:50 am
Great stuff, good job!
On April 5, 2009 at 4:47 am
Really nice article Papaleng. Well done.
RJ
On April 5, 2009 at 5:15 am
Interesting article.
On April 5, 2009 at 5:20 am
Lovely birds…nice shots too, thanks.
On April 5, 2009 at 5:41 am
Great photo’s and wonderful article.
On April 5, 2009 at 6:32 am
interesting birds…
On April 5, 2009 at 7:20 am
Excellent article Papaleng great pics.
On April 5, 2009 at 8:13 am
Fascinating article Papaleng, really enjoyed it and learned a lot.
On April 5, 2009 at 8:53 am
Great flying creatures, and not flying.
On April 5, 2009 at 11:06 am
These birds are really amazing. I haven’t seen them before.
On April 5, 2009 at 11:51 am
Hi, papal, how are you?
I really like this article. I’ve always been fascinated with nature. Thanks a lot and have a good day.
On April 5, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Excellent article! Well researched, enjoyable writing, carefully selected pics, this is A+ outstanding. Nice job papaleng!
On April 5, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Fascinating article, papaleng. Birds are charming creatures. Love the picture of the Sooty Tern looking over its shoulder and right at the camera. “Who you looking at?” ^_^
On April 5, 2009 at 8:11 pm
i love it very colorful!
On April 5, 2009 at 9:04 pm
only problem is that innocent penguin should not have a “marker” on his wing. but other than that, the pictures are beautiful.
On April 5, 2009 at 9:32 pm
That marker on that “innocent penguin’s” arm is not harmful to the bird at all, and allows conservationists to do their job, Aubrey.
By tracking and counting individuals, bird ecologists can keep track of populations and make educated decisions regarding the status of the species as a whole – including protecting breeding and feeding areas, and determining whether the species needs to be placed on the endangered list.
The marker does not impede his swimming, breeding, or feeding abilities and does not cause any discomfort after the initial annoyance of having something it’s not used to on it’s wing. As you can see in the image, it is not tight to his wing.
On April 5, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Thanks papaleng for shedding so much information on the animal kingdom. Much of this is new to me . Great piece.
Monica.
On April 6, 2009 at 1:02 am
Another great article, lots of great information
and lovely pics to go with it.
Thanks for sharing!
On April 6, 2009 at 1:37 am
cool, cooler! really amazing papaleng!
On April 6, 2009 at 6:33 am
Excellent research on these amazing birds.
On April 6, 2009 at 11:09 am
Beautiful pics and a very interesting article. Well done my friend!
On April 6, 2009 at 9:46 pm
its agreat write the birds are amazing i love them god makes such cool animals
On April 7, 2009 at 8:22 am
truly amazing birds…
On April 7, 2009 at 8:27 am
Excellent! Magnificent articles with amazing pics. Nicely done. keep it up. thanx for sharing…
On April 7, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Great information and pics!!
On April 7, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Interesting illustration of birds
On April 8, 2009 at 2:11 am
I have a blue and gold macaw, knowing how difficult it is to capture great pix of her, I was very impressed with your library. The individual information was enough without being too long. If I wanted to know more, it gave me an opportunity to jumpstart several catagories of orthonology.
On April 8, 2009 at 10:22 am
Nice article, I totally love the penguin
On April 9, 2009 at 3:59 am
The Gentoo Penguin look really like the penguin from Happy Feet!
On April 17, 2009 at 9:47 am
Amazing!
On April 25, 2009 at 10:14 am
Beautiful article.
Post Comment