Welcome to the first day of April. Hey, I guess that means it’s April Fool’s Day so make sure you are careful with all the pranksters out there. There is an old saying that goes like this “April Showers, Brings May Flowers”. Not only is this saying deep and profound but it also means we will probably need an umbrella this month. Don’t worry, Wild Facts has you covered as we are starting the rainy month off with the Umbrellabird. Okay, so maybe they won’t be able to protect you from the rain but they should be able to keep your attention for the next minute or so.
The Umbrellabird is a rather large species of bird that can be found inhabiting the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. I guess having a large crest on your head that acts like an umbrella would be a useful characteristic if you are living in the rain-forest. Okay, so this umbrella-like crest isn’t used to protect the birds latest hairstyle. Actually, the males will typically fan this crest out during mating season to attract a mate. Not only that but they will make a loud rumbling noise, which is said to sound like a Hippo. I don’t know about you but I am impressed that a bird can be so loud that you mistake it for a Hippopotamus.
Photo from Wikimedia
So how are they capable of making this loud noise? You may have been distracted by the umbrella so you didn’t even notice the large wattle hanging from the Umbrellabird’s throat. This wattle is able to inflate which basically acts as an amplifier. They would make the perfect roadie for a band since they are always carrying an amp with them.
Umbrellabird Fast Fact – You have to be careful around this bird since they have some very influential friends. In fact, they are even connected to the great Charles Darwin. Well, he might be a friend of a friend but it still counts. You see the Umbrellabird was discovered in the 1800′s by Darwin’s companion, Sir Alfred Wallace.
That is the end of another week of Wild Facts. Enjoy your weekend and I will see you on Monday.
Welcome back to a new week of Wild Facts. I just realized that we have finished 400 animal facts already. Time flies when you are having fun! Just think in a couple more years, the target of 1000 animal facts will be achieved. To celebrate Wild Fact #600 we are going to explore the world of one of the most interesting water birds, the Pelican, of course. There are more than half a dozen different Pelican species but all of them share a very unique trait. Don’t worry we will talk about that bizarre trait, soon. First, let’s learn a little more about the behaviour of this large bird.
The Pelican is a social bird and as such loves hanging out with other Pelicans. This is great news for us since we now have the chance to see large flocks which can include more than 100 Pelicans. Just think of all the photography opportunities you can get. Probably why the photos on today’s post are so great! You would think these birds would get tired of each other since it seems like they do everything together. They nest, rest and will even hunt together – I guess there is no alone time when you are a Pelican. Their cooperative hunting is actually pretty interesting though. A group these enormous birds will form a line or a U-shape and force the fish into shallow waters by beating their wings on the surface. Once they are in shallow water, the Pelicans just need to scoop them up. How do they scoop them up so easily?
Photo by Fir0002 (Wikimedia)
Well, remember that unique trait that all Pelican species share? This is the trait that has made this bird so popular and gives them the ability to scoop up fish. Of course, I am talking about their amazing throat pouch, which plays a major role in feeding. Now there might be some rumours out there saying that the Pelican uses this pouch to store their food. Well, this is actually false, as they simply use the pouch to catch the fish, drain the water out and then proceed to swallow the fish immediately. As well, the chicks will put their beaks in the throat of their parents to get their feeding.
Pelican Fast Fact – The American White Pelican is able to store up to 11.5 liters (3 gallons) of water in their throat pouch. I am guessing that is more than the standard 8 glasses of water we need to drink.
I hope you all enjoyed Wild Fact #600 and will continue to join me as we count down to zero. Have a great day!
As promised, our animals will continue to start with the same letter as the day they fall on. While trying to think of an animal that started with a “W”, I was talking with my parents and the suggestion of writing a fact about the “Wabbit” came up. I seriously thought about discussing the “Wasically Wabbit” today but thought that might be cheating. Instead we are going to look at the Willie Wagtail. Come on, you have to be a little impressed with Willie Wagtail Wednesday?
So what in the world is a Willie Wagtail? Well if you have been to Australia than you might know the answer to that question. They are in fact a passerine bird native to Australia, New Guinea, the Soloman Islands and eastern Indonesia. You can tell right off the bat that they have pretty contrasting colours. The black upper body definitely stands out against the white underparts. It is kind of funny how the Penguin and the Willy Wagtail shop at the same clothing stores.
In Flight - Photo by Clinton1550 (Wikimedia)
So what does a Willy Wagtail do all day? What an unusual question to ask but I will try my best to answer this for you. This particular bird spends the majority of their day chasing after prey in their open habitat. Okay, so logically we should discuss their type of prey. These “Wasically” Wagtails are insectivores so they will often perch themselves on a fence post or a low branch and attempt to catch flying insects such as moths, flies and gnats out of the air. If that isn’t working for them these birds will use their longer legs to hop behind cattle trying to catch the insects that are disturbed by the larger animal. How about that? These Willie Wagtails are pretty clever birds.
Okay, I am sure you are dying to know how these birds came about such an unusual name. Well, I don’t think I can answer the “Willie” part but I can clear up the “Wagtail”. Yep, typically these birds wag their tail from side to side as they are hunting for their dinner. My guess is that someone named Willie found them wagging their tails one day and wouldn’t you know it, the name Willie Wagtail was born.
That does it for Willie Wagtail Wednesday. I guess we are back to animals that start with the letter “T” for tomorrow. I am starting to feel like this is an episode of Sesame Street. Before I go, I wanted to share a video about another animal that starts with a “W”. Enjoy!
After spending the entire day outside, the fresh air is starting to catch up with me and I am getting awfully tired. If I fall asleep while writing this post, would you be kind enough to wake me up? Today we are heading to the skies to learn about a pretty cool raptor. No not the dinosaur kind and definitely not the basketball team. This particular bird of prey is the Common Buzzard, which can be found throughout most of Europe and into Asia.
The Common Buzzard is a medium to large sized bird of prey with an average length between 51 – 57 cm (20 – 22″) and a wingspan measuring between 1.0 – 1.5 m (4 – 5′). I would definitely not want to see that thing dive bombing out of the sky towards me. Typically this Buzzard is a solitary animal that prefers to hunt on their own. During migration they may form small groups with up to 30 individuals. This makes a lot of sense since nobody wants to go on a road trip by themselves.
As with most birds of prey, small animals should be careful coming out of their hiding places while in Buzzard territory. The Common Buzzard is an opportunistic hunter that will feed on rodents, birds, insects, snakes, earthworms and of course carrion (dead animals). This particular bird of prey is a fast and agile flier. As a result they don’t have too many predators to worry about on a day to day basis. Occasionally they will be attacked in the air by larger birds such as Eagles. If they are caught snoozing on the ground then predators such as cats and foxes may try to catch them.
Photograph by Aviceda (Wikimedia)
Although they are solitary animals the Common Buzzard are dedicated mates. Once a pair forms they will mate for life. Isn’t that sweet! The female will typically lay 2-4 eggs which will hatch after a month of incubating. The parents will stay with the chicks for about 45 days before the little ones are kicked out of the nest to find their own way. They grow up so fast, don’t they? This may not be surprising to all of you wives out there but it is typically the female that raises the chicks during those 45 days.
Common Buzzard Fast Fact – At one point in time the Common Buzzard was just about wiped out of the United Kingdom. Today, however, these buzzards are among the most common raptors in Europe (only behind the common Kestrel). Nice to have a good news story once in awhile, isn’t it?
Thanks for checking out Wednesday’s Wild Fact. See you tomorrow!
Last week we talked about a couple of birds while looking at the real life version of Tweety and the Roadrunner. Today we are going to look at another bird but I don’t know any famous cartoon characters that were based off of the Nightingale. Don’t get me wrong, I know they have some songs named after them and even a sonnet but no cartoon character. Perhaps we should make one that can be friends with Tweety and help him defeat that mean ol’ puddy tat. If we are going to create a new cartoon character, I guess we should learn more about the real life subject, right?
The Nightingale is a small bird that can be found in Europe and southwest Asia. It is often mistaken for another famous bird, the European Robin, as they look awfully similar to the female Robins. The Nightingale tends to be larger than the Robin and is usually a boring old brown colour, except for the reddish tail. At least they have some colour to pretty them up. These particular birds are known to travel far distances each year to reach their breeding grounds or overwintering areas. They typically breed in the European and Asian forests while spending the chilly winter months in southern Africa. I bet they would have enough frequent flyer miles to migrate to North America.
Photo by insecta62 (Wikicommons)
So what exactly is a Nightingale? Well obviously it is a bird but what does their name mean? Believe it or not these birds were apparently named over 1000 years ago. The term “Nightingale” simply means “night songstress”. I suppose we don’t have to be a genius to figure out why they called them that. Obviously, these birds love to sing at night. I personally prefer singing in the shower or the truck. It is believed that the single males still looking for their mate will sing throughout the night to attract that special partner. So basically they are serenading the lovely females. Who would have known that Nightingale’s are so romantic.
Don’t worry you get your chance to hear the beautiful song from the Nightingale by watching the short video clip below. Enjoy and have a great day!
After spending yesterday in the deepest depths of the ocean we are coming up for some air. In fact we are heading to the sky to talk about a pretty cool bird that is always a treat to see. I am of course talking about the Belted Kingfisher which is typically found in the United States and in Canada. If you are Canadian then you might recognize it from the 1986 version of the $5 bill. To save you from Googling the Canadian $5 bill, I have included a picture of it below.
Back of the Canadian $5 Bill (1986-2002)
Other than on the $5 bill, you might see these birds hanging out near water bodies all throughout Canada and the United States. They usually spend their summer vacation on these northern breeding grounds. Like the smart birds that they are they will fly into southern United States, Mexico and even parts of Central and South America during the cold winter months. Typically these birds know when it is time to go once the waterbodies start to freeze. Although, some individual Kingfishers have been known to brave the cold Canadian winters. Not too smart, if you ask me.
Female Belted Kingfisher with Prey - Photo by Teddy Llovet (Wikicommons)
It is not uncommon to see one of these beautiful birds perched on a branch or post near a waterbody. If you wait just a little bit longer you may be lucky enough to witness them diving head first into the water where they will most likely catch a nice scrumptious fish for dinner. Besides fish they will also feed on crustaceans, insects, reptiles and even small mammals. The Belted Kingfisher relies heavily on lakes and rivers. Even their nest depends upon these waterbodies as they roost in a tunnel on the side of the bank. The nice thing about the Kingfisher is they believe in equal rights. Both the male and female will work to dig out a nice nesting tunnel. Again they will both share the duties of incubating the eggs and feeding the young. Now that is one fair and equal relationship.
Belted Kingfisher Fast Fact – Their long nesting tunnel is usually excavated so that it is going uphill. It is believed this is engineering concept will protect the young if the area ever gets flooded. The little babies will still be able to breath by utilizing the air pocket at the elevated end of the tunnel. Now that is one smart and impressive bird.
Thanks for checking out today’s Wild Fact on the Belted Kingfisher. Be sure you come back for the final fact of the week on Friday. I can’t believe it is almost Friday already. Have a great day!
Since we were visiting the beautiful island of New Zealand yesterday I thought we would take a quick trip north to Tasmania. You know that island that gave birth to Bugs Bunny’s Friend, Taz. Well, we aren’t going to look at the Tasmanian Devil today but we will continue the Flightless Bird Trend by studying the Tasmanian Native Hen. As you probably have guessed these birds are found solely on the island of Tasmania. This particular bird is unique since it has thrived with the colonization of humans. You will find out why in a second.
The Tasmanian Native Hen is a sturdy bird which can grow to about 51 cm (20″) long. This flightless bird seems to be similar to the previous birds we discussed as they also have powerful legs, which makes sense since they can’t fly. The upper portion of this bird is usually brown in colour with a little white patch. Underneath they are usually darker with a bluish gray colour. If you check out the picture you will also notice they have bright red eyes. I am not sure the reasoning behind the red eyes but it sure is creepy. Don’t they have software these days that can remove red eyes from pictures?
You are able to find the Tasmanian Native Hen near marshes, rivers and wherever you may find short, grazed pastures. This last little bit of information should help solve the mystery as to why these birds did well with the colonization of humans. The Hens love the riverside farms that came with the settlers. They are perfect for nesting and for feeding since the Tasmanian Native hen eats grasses, leaves of shrubs, insects, etc. I am not sure how the farmers feel about these birds but I am willing to bet the Native Hens love the farmers….well their fields anyway.
Tasmanian Native Hen Chick - Photo by Felix Wilson (Wikicommons)
So what stops the population of Tasmanian Native Hens from exploiting the farmers and growing to huge numbers? Well, predation and food availability are the limiting factors for these little guys. They are preyed upon by Quolls, other birds and of course the infamous Tasmanian Devil. It is also known that in years with an abundance of food the Hen will lay about 10 eggs and have two broods. In contrast during those low food production years they will lay fewer eggs and only have one brood. At the end of the day, nature is controlling themselves.
Tasmanian Native Hen Fast Fact – Even though these Tasmanian birds can’t fly they have evolved pretty good swimming skills and can run like the wind. Remember those powerful legs I talked about earlier? Well, they are able to carry the Hen up to speeds of 50 km/hr. Not too shabby for a bird!
That does it for Thursday’s Flightless Bird Wild Fact. Make sure you tune in tomorrow for the last Flightless Bird Fact of the Week. I can guarantee it will be an interesting one tomorrow and will quite possibly become one of my all time favourite Wild Facts. See you tomorrow.
Since I have started this Wild Facts project, I have been fighting the urge to write about one of my favourite birds, the Dodo Bird. Of course I am having this conflict since this amazingly peculiar bird no longer exists on our planet. Therefore, I figured I would go to my second favourite bird, the Kiwi, and I thought I had better hurry up before this one is extinct too. For the record, I may lose this battle with myself and write a Fact on the Dodo Bird at some point in time. But not today! Today we celebrate the life of the interesting New Zealand bird, the Kiwi.
This flightless bird native to the jungles of New Zealand just happens to be their National Bird. Why wouldn’t this fuzzy little bird be so highly recognized, right? I mean, they look so cute, who wouldn’t want them as your National Bird. There are several species of Kiwi with sizes ranging between 25 cm – 45 cm (9.8″ – 17″) tall. Unfortunately, all species of Kiwi are listed as endangered as a result of deforestation and the introduction of invasive predators.
You may have noticed the large beak on the Kiwi. Don’t say anything to them since they are a little sensitive about it but this disproportionate beak does serve a purpose. Just so you know their beak is roughly one-third the size of their body. The Kiwi uses this long beak to search the forest floor for food such as berries, worms, insects and spiders. Just think, they would hardly have to put their head down to reach the forest floor.
Photo by: Malene Thyssen
This particular bird has a very tough time living in one specific spot. Each day the Kiwi will dig a burrow that it will rest in that night. Once it wakes up it moves onto another spot to create a new burrow. It seems like a lot of work to me but at least they get to see the countryside. The only time they manage to settle down is during nesting season. The female Kiwi will lay a clutch of approximately 5 eggs which will take about 3 months to hatch. I bet it is just killing those birds to sit still for 3 months. During this incubation period it is the male Kiwi that will do most of the work to ensure his baby eggs are kept warm. It is always nice when the father doesn’t abandon his children but I guess sitting on some eggs for 3 months is easier than paying child support for the rest of his life, right?
Kiwi Fast Fact – Believe it or not the Kiwi is believed to be related to a couple of other flightless birds, albeit much larger, the ostrich and the emu. This makes the Kiwi the smallest member of that particular family and no doubt gets picked on during family gatherings.
That just about does it for me today. Have a great day folks! Before we sign off for the day make sure to check out the short clip (under a minute) of the Kiwi utilizing his beak to find some food.
After spending the last couple of days talking about unique amphibians I wanted to mix up the Wild Facts today. My first instinct was to write about a cool insect but thought my readers may not appreciate that today. I made a compromise and decided to write up a Wild Fact on the Green Bee-Eater also known as the Little Green Bee-Eater. To witness this little green bird we need to make a travel decision. Do you prefer to go to Africa, Western Arabia or Asia? Personally, I have gone to Africa quite a bit with these Wild Facts so I think I will head out to India today, who is with me?
The Green Bee-Eater is a small bird often found in open forests and grasslands on either continent they reside on. They will usually only grow to about 18 cm (7″) in length but have a wingspan of 30 cm (1 foot). As you may have guessed they primarily feed on bees. In fact about 80% of their diet is comprised of honeybees. The rest of their diet consists of other bees or various flying insects. I personally think it would be better if they didn’t eat bees and they were just named that to throw us off. You know, call it the Green Bee-Eater but this little bird actually eats lions, zebras or some other ridiculous animal. I know, it is late and I am getting silly!
Green Bee-Eaters Sand Bathing. Photo by J.M. Garg
All right, moving on. The Little Green Bee-Eater and I have something in common. We are both slow starters in the morning. Yup, this little bird can often be viewed huddling up with other bee-eaters long after sunrise. Something this bee-eater and I don’t have in common is the fact that they like to bathe quite frequently. They are known to sand bathe, which sounds odd to me but I am not a bird so who knows. As well, they will mix up their sand baths with a more traditional water bath but do so during flight. Flying and bathing, now that is a talent! Oh and for the record, I was just kidding about me not bathing. Believe it or not, I try to bathe or shower at least once a month.
Green Bee-Eater Fast Fact – The Green Bee-Eaters nest in tunnels through the sandy banks. The female will lay 5 eggs which both parents will help incubate. Once the babies are born both parents as well as other bee-eaters will help raise the little fledglings.
Thanks for checking out today’s Wild Fact! See you tomorrow with the final fact of the week.
We have been spending the last couple of days in the water learning about interesting ocean animals so I thought we would come to land today. Once you get dried off we will take some time to go and learn about the Shoebill. In case you weren’t able to tell from the picture the Shoebill is a large stork-like bird that obviously gets its name from their unique shoe-shaped bill.
The Shoebill is usually between 115-150 cm (45-60″) tall and can weigh up to 7 kg (15.5 lbs). I told you they were a large stork-like bird but did you think they would be 5 feet tall? Adult Shoebill’s are usually a gray colour while the juveniles tend to be a more brown colour. If you want to check out these tall birds then you will need to make a trip to East Africa where you can find them in the swamps from Sudan all the way to Zambia.
The swamp is a perfect home for the Shoebill since they like to feed in the muddy water where they feast upon fish, frogs, small mammals and even baby crocodiles. Man, crocodiles have it rough. Either their skin is used to make boots or they are consumed by a large shoe. They must have a legitimate fear for footwear. A funny fact about the feeding habits of the Shoebill. When they are attacking their prey this big bird (no, not the Sesame Street one) has to put its wings back otherwise they would lose their balance. Trust me there is nothing more embarrassing than falling over as you are trying to catch your prey.
Photo by Fiorellino (Olaf Oliver Riemer)
For the most part the Shoebill is a solitary animal and will only pair up during their mating season. Considering they spend most of their days just standing around looking for food, you think they would want to have a friend to hang out with. Seriously, they will barely move when they are hunting except to move their head slightly or to switch their feet around. How boring would that be?
Shoebill Fast Fact - The large shoe-like bill of this aptly named bird is usually about 20 cm long by 20 cm wide. Why is this significant? These dimensions give the Shoebill the largest bill of all the bird species on this great planet of ours. Well out of the birds that we have discovered anyways.
That just about does it for me folks. Have a great day!
Welcome to my ongoing project to provide you with 1000 Animal Facts. Every week-day I will provide a new and interesting animal fact counting down from 1000. My goal is to hopefully educate the young and old alike about the interesting adaptations of the animal kingdom. As well, I am hoping people will gain a greater appreciation of the animals we share earth with. If you have any questions, please feel free to use the Contact form or leave a comment.
