Wild Facts

Photo by Linda De Volder (Wikimedia)

So here we are again, the last animal fact of the week. I really can’t believe how quickly this week has gone by but it is all good since we are approaching the long weekend. Don’t worry, there will be a wonderful, new Wild Fact on Monday. Actually, you are in for a treat next week since it will be a Themed Week of Wild Facts. Yep, I am heading out of town for the week so as usual we will look at animals that have “something” in common. But first, lets talk about a cool bird called the Hoatzin, which is also known as the Hoactzin (notice the “c”), the Stinkbird (my personal favourite name) and the Canje Pheasant.

Okay, so my first question is how in the world did this bird get the nickname “Stinkbird”? As you may have guessed, the Hoatzin happens to smell quite badly. Shocking, right? We are not sure what causes this stench but scientist believe it has something to do with their feeding strategy. You see the Stinkbird has an unusually large crop, which allows their vegetation to actually ferment. I wonder if they are making beer? Anyway, it is most likely fermenting leaves that causes this wonderful odour that lead to the name, Stinkbird. Either way, I feel bad for the poor bird. It is like he is getting picked on by his Grade 6 classmates.

Photo by Brian Ralphs (Wikimedia)

Besides the weird digestive system, the Hoatzin has another unusual quality. The young birds are actually born with claws on two of their wing digits. Perhaps this is for defending themselves against other animals that make fun of their raunchy stench. Actually, these claws help the baby Stinkbirds grab onto branches as they stumble about. Although, they had better learn to take care of themselves quickly since the mother usually abandons them about 10-14 days after birth. This is pretty quick amongst the bird world. I guess the Hoatzin has no problem being different from other birds.

Hoatzin Fast Fact – If you want to catch a glimpse of these incredibly unusual birds then you need to book a ticket to check out some of the swamps and mangroves in the Amazon Forest, which of course is in South America.

Well there you have it, another week of Wild Facts are in the books. We are rapidly approaching the half-way mark, which is unbelievable! Have a great weekend folks and I will see you on Monday.

Photo by Michael Melford

I probably should have saved today’s Wild Fact for Independence Day since the Bald Eagle is the symbol for the United States of America but I couldn’t wait another year to talk about this majestic bird.  I am almost positive that all of you have at least seen a picture of the Bald Eagle whether you are American or not.  If you want to see one in person than your best bet is to hang out near large bodies of open water in Canada, USA and Northern Mexico.  That really narrows down your search range doesn’t it!

The Bald Eagle doesn’t like to live near large bodies of water just to brag about having a waterfront home.  No sir, they depend on the plentiful fish species that can be found swimming around these waterbodies.  This magnificent bird is very proficient at using their large talons to capture fish out of the water.  Of course you can’t survive solely on a diet of fish, well I guess you could but why would you want to when there is plenty of roadkill to feast on as well.  That’s right, the Bald Eagle is also a scavenger of carrion and has been known to steal kills from other animals.  Actually it was this thieving behaviour that caused Ben Franklin to protest against naming the Eagle as USA’s National Symbol.

Bald Eagle Fishing - Photo by Joby Joseph

Well I have held off long enough so let’s move onto my biggest pet-peeve about the Bald Eagle. By now I am sure you have all heard the famous Bald Eagle call.  I am here to tell you that the Eagle sound you normally hear on TV is completely and utterly wrong.  Hollywood has used the sound of the Red-Tailed Hawk to make the Bald Eagle sound more powerful than it actually is.  I know you may not believe me so please listen to both recordings I have included below.  The first one is the Red-Tailed Hawk while the second is the Bald Eagle.  Which one sounds more impressive and powerful to you?

So now do you believe me? I still can’t believe that Hollywood would try to deceive so many people into thinking…..wait…. what am I talking about, of course I believe Hollywood would be corrupt like that. At least now you will look incredibly intelligent to your friends when you tell them that it is actually a Red-Tailed Hawk you are hearing during the opening credits of the Colbert Report.

Now that I got that pet-peeve off of my chest I guess I can get back to my evening activities.  Thanks for reading and have a great night!