178 Fun Facts About Birds

Which of these is the largest living bird by mass and height?

The ostrich is the largest living bird: an adult male stands about 2.7 m and can weigh over 150 kg, yet its egg is the smallest of any bird relative to the adult.

Chicks of which Amazon bird hatch with claws on their wings for clambering through branches?

Hoatzin chicks hatch with two claws on each wing; if threatened they drop into the water beneath the nest, then use the claws to climb back up. The claws disappear as the birds mature.

Which bird species possesses the largest wingspan among all living birds, reaching up to 3.7 metres?

The Wandering Albatross's wingspan can reach 3.7 m (12 ft), letting it glide for hours over the Southern Ocean with barely a wingbeat.

Besides aiding in feeding, what is a primary function of a toucan's large, colorful beak?

Releasing excess heat: a toco toucan's bill is laced with blood vessels it can open or close, shedding up to a large share of body heat, a function demonstrated by thermal imaging in 2009.

What do most vultures primarily consume as their main food source?

Carrion: vultures are scavengers that feed on dead animals, and by stripping carcasses quickly with highly acidic stomachs they limit the spread of disease to other wildlife.

Which bird is often cited as having intelligence comparable to primates, with problem-solving and tool use?

Young ravens perform about as well as adult chimpanzees and orangutans on tests of causal reasoning and social learning.

The largest egg laid by any living bird weighs about as much as how many chicken eggs?

About 24: an ostrich egg weighs around 1.4 kg, roughly the mass of two dozen 60 g chicken eggs, yet relative to the mother it is the smallest egg of any bird.

Which large flightless bird of New Guinea and northeastern Australia has a helmet-like casque?

The cassowary's casque is a helmet-like crest of spongy bone under a horny sheath; the bird's dagger-like inner toe claw, up to 12 cm long, is why it is often called the world's most dangerous bird.

The pink colour of flamingos comes from which pigments in their diet?

Carotenoids from the algae and brine shrimp flamingos eat are deposited in feathers and skin; captive birds fed too little carotenoid fade to pale pink even when otherwise well nourished.

How many neck vertebrae does an owl have, compared with seven in humans?

Owls have 14 neck vertebrae, twice the human seven, and extra-wide openings for the vertebral arteries keep blood flowing to the brain while the head swivels.

Males of which bird family build and decorate elaborate stick structures purely to impress mates, never to nest in?

Bowerbird males decorate their bowers with sticks and brightly coloured objects; the structure is a stage, not a nest.

What is the primary material that makes up a bird's feathers?

Feathers, unique to birds, are primarily composed of keratin, a lightweight and durable protein also found in human hair and nails.

Which bird holds the record for the longest known non-stop migratory flight?

The bar-tailed godwit undertakes the longest known non-stop migratory flight, covering over 13,500 kilometers (8,400 miles) from Alaska to Tasmania without landing.

What bird is widely recognized as the fastest in a hunting dive?

The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest animal on Earth during its hunting dive, known as a stoop, where it can reach speeds exceeding 320 km/h (200 mph).

Which flightless bird is the tallest native bird of Australia?

The emu is the third-tallest living bird, behind only its two African ratite relatives, the ostriches.

Which of these is famed for elaborate courtship dances with vibrant plumage displays?

Many bird species engage in elaborate courtship rituals to attract a mate, with the male bird-of-paradise being particularly famous for its intricate dances and vibrant plumage.

What is the scientific term for the study of birds?

Ornithology comes from the Greek órnis, 'bird'; herpetology covers reptiles, entomology insects and ichthyology fish.

Which New World scavenger finds dead animals largely by smell, a rare ability among birds?

The turkey vulture has an unusually large olfactory lobe for a bird and homes in on ethyl mercaptan, a gas released early in decay; gas companies have used circling turkey vultures to locate pipeline leaks.

Which bird lays the largest egg relative to its own size?

A flightless New Zealand native, the kiwi lays an egg of up to 20% of the female's weight, the largest relative to the mother of any bird.

In which penguin species does the male incubate a single egg for over two months while the female feeds at sea?

The emperor male balances the egg on his feet under a fold of skin for just over two months, fasting, while the female returns to the sea to feed.

The extinct dodo was endemic to which island?

Mauritius's dodo was a giant pigeon, family Columbidae; its closest relative was the also-extinct Rodrigues solitaire.

Which bird breaks open large eggs by tossing pebbles onto them?

The Egyptian vulture hurls stones at ostrich eggs too big to lift, one of the few documented cases of tool use in birds; it also uses twigs to gather wool for lining its nest.

Which of these is a typical characteristic of birds of prey?

Sharp talons and hooked beaks: birds of prey seize prey with their feet and tear it with the hooked bill, while keen eyesight lets them spot a target from far off or in flight.

The only penguin species living at, and just above, the equator is native to which island group?

The Galápagos Islands host the only penguin found at the equator, because the cold, nutrient-rich Humboldt and Cromwell currents keep the surrounding water cool enough for a bird otherwise tied to the southern oceans.

What is a significant part of a Blue Jay's diet, especially during autumn?

Blue jays hide many of the acorns they gather to eat later, and forgotten caches help oaks spread.

Roughly what top running speed makes the world's largest living bird the fastest two-legged animal?

About 70 km/h (43 mph): the ostrich is the fastest animal on two legs, and it can cruise at a steady 50 km/h (31 mph) with strides of up to 5 m.

What is the primary food source of most finches, for which their stout, conical bills are adapted?

Seeds and nuts suit the stout conical bill, which works like a nutcracker; finches are also often brightly coloured.

Which flightless Atlantic seabird's last confirmed pair was killed on Eldey, Iceland, in 1844?

The great auk's wings were only about 15 cm long; it was long placed in the genus Alca alongside the razorbill, which it resembled.

What is the common term for predatory birds such as hawks, eagles, and falcons?

Raptors: the word comes from the Latin rapere, 'to seize', a nod to how hawks, eagles and falcons grab prey with their feet.

Which nocturnal, cave-nesting bird of Venezuela and Trinidad navigates by echolocation like a bat?

The oilbird, genus Steatornis ('fat bird'), roosts in caves and finds its way with audible echolocation clicks; it feeds on the fruit of oil palms and tropical laurels, and its chicks grow notably fat.

Which bird family is known for mimicking many sounds, including human speech?

Parrots (Psittaciformes) are renowned for their exceptional vocal mimicry, capable of imitating various sounds, including human speech. While some other birds can mimic, parrots are particularly famous for this ability.

Martha, the last known passenger pigeon, died in 1914 at a zoo in which US city?

Martha died at the Cincinnati Zoo on 1 September 1914; a species whose flocks once numbered in the billions was gone within a human lifetime.

Which of these continents has no native penguins?

North America has no native penguins: the only species to cross the equator, the Galápagos penguin, belongs to Ecuador's islands, while Africa, South America and Australia each have breeding species.

What is the common name for the bird known scientifically as *Turdus migratorius*?

*Turdus migratorius* is the scientific name for the American Robin, a widespread thrush species known for its distinctive song and red breast.

Which African bird of prey hunts on foot and kills snakes by stomping on them?

The secretarybird strides across savanna on long legs and kills snakes with rapid kicks; it appears on the coats of arms of both South Africa and Sudan.

The extinct elephant birds, whose eggs were the largest known for any amniote, lived on which island?

Elephant birds lived only on Madagascar and vanished around 1000 AD, probably through human activity; Aepyornis maximus may be the heaviest bird that ever lived.

Which bird of prey is the only known vertebrate whose diet is 70–90% bone?

The bearded vulture, also called the lammergeier or ossifrage ('bone-breaker'), drops large bones onto rocks to shatter them and swallows the fragments, digesting them with extremely acidic stomach juices.

What is the only bird known for its ability to fly backwards for sustained periods?

Hummingbirds are unique among birds for their ability to truly fly backward, thanks to their specialized wing structure and musculature that allows for a figure-eight wing motion.

Which of these birds is flightless and native to New Zealand?

The kakapo is a critically endangered, nocturnal, flightless parrot of New Zealand; the kea, tūī and kererū are all strong fliers.

Which bird holds the record for the fastest confirmed level flight, at about 111 km/h (69 mph)?

The common swift was clocked at 111.6 km/h in level flight during a 2010 Swedish study; the white-throated needletail is often reported as faster, but its 169 km/h figure has never been confirmed.

Which bird builds gourd-shaped mud nests in dense colonies under bridges and eaves?

Cliff swallows build gourd-shaped nests from mud pellets, each bird ferrying globs back in its bill one at a time; a single colony under a bridge can hold hundreds of nests.

What is the smallest bird species in the world?

The bee hummingbird is about 5.5 cm long and weighs roughly 1.95 g, lighter than a US penny, making it the smallest living bird.

How many chambers does a bird's heart typically have?

Like mammals, birds have a four-chambered heart (two atria and two ventricles), which allows for complete separation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, supporting their high metabolic rates for flight.

Which bird is often used as a symbol of peace?

The dove, particularly the white dove, has been a widely recognized symbol of peace, love, and purity across various cultures and religions for centuries.

Which bird undertakes the longest annual migration of any animal?

The Arctic Tern holds the record for the longest annual migration of any animal, flying from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back each year, covering an astonishing distance of up to 70,000 km (43,000 miles).

What is a group of crows commonly called?

A group of crows is famously and commonly referred to as a 'murder of crows.' This collective noun is one of the most well-known and evocative in the English language.

Which type of bird is known for building intricate, hanging, pouch-like nests?

Orioles, particularly New World orioles, are renowned for their incredible weaving skills, constructing elaborate, hanging, basket-like or pouch-shaped nests that dangle from tree branches.

Which Pacific seabird's courtship consists of the male flaunting his brightly coloured feet and dancing?

The Blue-footed Booby, found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific Ocean, is famous for its bright blue feet, which play a significant role in its elaborate courtship dance to attract a mate.

Which seabird was shown by EEG to sleep in mid-flight, usually one brain hemisphere at a time?

Great frigatebirds fitted with EEG recorders in 2016 slept in flight, mostly one hemisphere at a time, for under an hour a day in total, usually while circling upward on rising air.

Which bird is famous for migrating across the Himalayas at extreme altitudes?

The bar-headed goose crosses the Himalayas twice a year; flocks have been tracked above 7,000 m and reported over Mount Makalu, and its haemoglobin binds oxygen unusually tightly for the thin air.

What is the term for a bird's self-grooming behavior where it uses its beak to maintain its feathers?

Preening: a bird draws each feather through its bill from base to tip, zipping separated barbs back together and spreading waterproofing oil from its preen gland across the plumage.

Racing homing pigeons have recorded competitive flights as long as roughly what distance?

Competitive flights of roughly 1,800 km (1,100 miles) have been recorded; the homing instinct comes from the rock dove, the domestic pigeon's wild ancestor, which navigates back to its own nest.

What is the primary function of a bird's gizzard?

The gizzard, a muscular organ in a bird's digestive tract, is primarily responsible for mechanically grinding food, often with the aid of ingested grit, to break it down into smaller, more digestible particles.

Which bird is historically associated with delivering babies in European folklore?

The stork has a long-standing association in European folklore with delivering babies, a myth often attributed to their migratory patterns and nesting habits on rooftops.

Which Australian songbird's males devote about 70–80% of their vocalisations to imitating other species?

The superb lyrebird's song is mostly mimicry of other birds; females sing too, and the species' imitations are so precise that recorded lyrebirds have copied camera shutters and chainsaws.

What is the largest bird of prey by wingspan?

The Andean Condor holds the record for the largest wingspan among all birds of prey, reaching up to 3.2 meters (10.5 feet).

Which bird is known for using tools, such as thorns or twigs, to extract insects from crevices?

The woodpecker finch, one of Darwin's finches of the Galápagos, holds a twig or cactus spine in its bill to pry insect larvae out of bark crevices.

What is the process of a bird shedding its old feathers and growing new ones called?

Molting is the natural process by which birds periodically shed their old, worn feathers and grow new ones. This is crucial for maintaining healthy plumage essential for flight, insulation, and display.

Which large, mischievous parrot is native to the alpine regions of New Zealand's South Island?

The kea is the world's only alpine parrot, ranging from coastal forest up to peaks around Aoraki / Mount Cook, and is notorious for tearing rubber seals and wiper blades off parked cars.

Which bird lays its eggs in other species' nests, relying on them to raise its young?

Cuckoos are famous for their brood parasitic behavior, where the female lays her eggs in the nests of other bird species, known as host parents, who then unknowingly incubate and raise the cuckoo chicks.

Owls can rotate their heads and necks as much as how many degrees?

Because their eyes are fixed in their sockets, owls must turn the whole head to look around.

What is a young owl called?

A young owl is specifically called an owlet. While 'fledgling' and 'chick' are general terms for young birds, 'owlet' is the correct term for an immature owl.

What is the collective term for a group of eagles?

A convocation of eagles, though 'aerie' and 'soar' are also used; a parliament is owls and an exaltation is larks.

Which bird gives its name to Guatemala's currency and appears on its flag?

The resplendent quetzal gives its name to Guatemala's currency and sits at the centre of the flag; its shimmering green plumage doubles as camouflage among wet cloud-forest leaves.

Which parrot's beak is powerful enough to crack coconuts and Brazil nut pods?

Macaws have the strongest bills of any parrot, able to split coconut shells and Brazil nut pods; large species feed mainly on hard palm kernels such as acuri and bocaiuva.

What is the primary function of a bird's hollow bones?

Reduce weight for flight, with criss-crossing internal struts keeping the hollow bones strong; the whole skeleton is only about 5% of a bird's weight.

Which bird is the state bird of several U.S. states and is known for its bright red plumage?

The Northern Cardinal, with its striking bright red coloration (especially in males), is the state bird of seven U.S. states, more than any other species.

Which bird is known for its impressive vocalizations and mimicry of other birds' songs?

Mockingbirds are celebrated for their remarkable ability to mimic the songs of numerous other bird species, as well as various other sounds, often incorporating them into long, complex vocal performances.

Which bird is the national bird of the United States?

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) has appeared on the Great Seal of the United States since 1782 and was formally declared the national bird by an act signed in December 2024.

Where does the Atlantic puffin lay its single white egg?

Its colourful bill has earned it nicknames like 'clown of the sea'.

Which Icelandic islands host the world's largest Atlantic puffin colony?

The Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar), off Iceland's south coast, hold the world's largest Atlantic puffin colony, around a million breeding pairs; Iceland as a whole hosts most of the species.

What does a pelican use its throat pouch for?

Catching prey and draining water: a pelican scoops fish with up to 13 litres of water in its pouch, then tips its head to drain the water before swallowing; pouches brighten before the breeding season.

In Britain, unmarked mute swans traditionally became the property of whom?

The Crown: under the Act of Swans of 1482, unmarked mute swans on open water belonged to the monarch, earning the bird the name 'Royal Bird'; the Vintners and Dyers mark their own at the annual Swan Upping.

The mallard is the main ancestor of what?

Most domestic ducks, the Muscovy excepted, descend from the mallard; escaped farm ducks interbreed freely with wild mallards and dilute the wild gene pool.

Honeyguides are famous for leading humans to what?

Bee colonies: the greater honeyguide calls and flies ahead of human honey-hunters to wild bee nests, then feasts on the grubs and beeswax left behind once the honey is taken.

Africa's sociable weavers build shared nests housing up to how many pairs?

100 to 300 pairs: the largest sociable weaver nests house well over a hundred breeding pairs, each in its own flask-shaped chamber entered from below, and a single nest can weigh about a tonne.

The greater roadrunner is the official state bird of which US state?

New Mexico adopted the greater roadrunner as its state bird in 1949; the bird can sprint at about 32 km/h and preys on lizards and rattlesnakes.

The laughing kookaburra belongs to which bird group?

Kingfishers: the laughing kookaburra of eastern Australia is the largest member of the kingfisher family, and its cackling laugh is a stock jungle sound effect in films.

The Eurasian magpie is one of few birds shown to recognise itself in what?

A mirror: in a 2008 mark test, Eurasian magpies with a coloured sticker on the throat tried to remove it when shown their reflection, the first such self-recognition seen in a non-mammal.

Who released about 60 starlings into New York's Central Park in 1890?

Eugene Schieffelin, a leader of the American Acclimatization Society, released about 60 European starlings in Central Park in 1890; their descendants now number in the hundreds of millions across North America.

What is a huge, swirling flock of starlings called?

A murmuration: starlings gather in swirling flocks of thousands near their roosts at dusk, each bird tracking about seven neighbours to keep the shape-shifting cloud together.

The magpie-robin is the national bird of which country?

Bangladesh: the oriental magpie-robin, known there as the doyel, is the national bird and appears on the country's banknotes; it belongs to the Old World flycatcher genus Copsychus.

The word 'nightingale' combines 'night' with an Old English word meaning what?

To sing: 'nightingale' comes from Old English nihtegale, 'night' plus galan, 'to sing', because the male sings through the night during the breeding season.

Canaries were once carried into coal mines as living detectors of which odourless gas?

Carbon monoxide overcame the canary first, giving miners a warning; the birds served as a sentinel species, their deaths signalling danger.

After dogs and cats, which bird is the world's third most popular pet?

The budgerigar, a small seed-eating parrot native to inland Australia, is usually ranked the world's most popular pet bird and the third most popular pet after dogs and cats.

A peacock's 'train' is made up of which elongated feathers?

Upper-tail coverts: the peacock's train is made of greatly elongated covert feathers tipped with eyespots, raised and fanned by the short true tail feathers hidden beneath them.

Chickens are the domesticated form of which wild bird?

The red junglefowl of South and Southeast Asia is the chicken's main wild ancestor; genetic studies show some grey junglefowl ancestry was added later.

Roughly how many chickens were there worldwide as of 2023?

About 26.5 billion: FAO counted roughly 26.5 billion chickens in 2023, more than three for every person on Earth, and well over 50 billion are raised for meat each year.

What colour is a rock ptarmigan's plumage in winter?

White: the rock ptarmigan's winter plumage is almost pure white for camouflage in snow, moulting to mottled grey and brown for spring and summer.

Which is the largest living grouse species?

The western capercaillie is the largest living grouse, males weighing up to about 6 kg; cocks gather each spring at traditional display grounds to fan their tails and give a popping, gurgling call.

The osprey's diet consists almost exclusively of what?

It is found on every continent except Antarctica.

The 'windhover' is an archaic name for which bird of prey?

The kestrel, the 'windhover' of Gerard Manley Hopkins's poem, hangs almost motionless in the wind 10-20 metres up while scanning for voles.

The snowy owl's breeding success is tied to the availability of which prey?

Lemmings: in peak lemming years snowy owls on the Arctic tundra lay clutches of up to a dozen eggs, and in crash years many pairs do not breed at all.

What shape is a barn owl's face?

Heart-shaped: the barn owl's pale facial disc funnels sound to its asymmetrically placed ears, letting it catch mice in total darkness. It belongs to Tyto, the most widespread owl genus.

Non-breeding common swifts may stay in continuous flight for up to how long?

Ten months: a 2016 tracking study found non-breeding common swifts stayed airborne for the whole ten-month non-breeding period, eating, drinking and sleeping on the wing. Their genus name Apus means 'without feet'.

Which is the most widespread swallow species in the world?

The barn swallow is the world's most widespread swallow, breeding across the Northern Hemisphere and wintering in South America, Africa, southern Asia and Australia; vagrants have even reached Antarctica.

The great albatrosses take their genus name from the companions of which Greek hero?

Diomedes: in myth his companions were turned into birds after the Trojan War, and Linnaeus named the great albatross genus Diomedea after them.

Which flight technique lets albatrosses cover vast distances with minimal exertion?

Dynamic soaring: albatrosses repeatedly climb into faster wind above the waves and dive downwind, harvesting energy from the wind gradient so they can glide for hours without flapping.

Which Scottish islet hosts the world's largest northern gannet colony?

Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth held about 75,000 pairs of northern gannets in 2014, the world's largest colony; the species' scientific name Morus bassanus comes from the rock.

Northern gannets catch fish by diving into the sea at speeds up to what?

Up to 60 mph (100 km/h): northern gannets fold their wings and plunge from 30 m or more, with air sacs under the skin cushioning the impact. They are the largest seabirds of the North Atlantic.

The common loon is the official state bird of which US state?

Minnesota adopted the common loon as its state bird in 1961; the bird also appears on Canada's one-dollar coin.

The South Island takahē is the largest living member of which bird family?

Rails: the South Island takahē, a flightless swamphen of New Zealand, is the largest living member of the rail family (Rallidae), weighing up to about 4 kg; it was thought extinct until rediscovered in 1948.

How tall could the largest moa stand with neck outstretched?

About 3.6 metres: the giant moa Dinornis could reach that height with its neck outstretched and weighed around 230 kg, while the smallest moa species was turkey-sized.

How many moa species existed in the Late Pleistocene-Holocene?

Nine: the moa of New Zealand comprised nine species in six genera, ranging from turkey-sized birds to the giant Dinornis, all gone within a couple of centuries of Polynesian settlement.

The rhea, a flightless South American bird, is also known by what name?

Ñandú is the Spanish and Guaraní name for the rhea across South America; the two species are the greater rhea and Darwin's rhea.

What is the vocal organ of birds called?

The syrinx, unlike a mammal's larynx, sits where the trachea forks into the bronchi, and because each side can be controlled separately some songbirds sing two notes at once.

Where on a bird's body is the preen (uropygial) gland located?

At the base of the tail: the uropygial gland sits on the rump above the tail feathers, and birds press it with the bill to collect oil that they spread through the plumage while preening.

What does the Latin word 'furcula', for a bird's wishbone, literally mean?

Little fork: furcula is the diminutive of the Latin furca, 'fork'; the fused clavicles act as a strut between the shoulders and flex like a spring with every wingbeat.

What is the temporary projection a hatchling bird uses to break out of its egg called?

The egg tooth is a temporary sharp projection on the bill; reptiles and monotremes have them too.

Which African bird's male may be the heaviest living animal capable of flight?

The kori bustard: males can weigh around 18 kg, making it Africa's largest flying bird and probably the heaviest living animal capable of flight; it spends most of its time walking the savanna.

Great bustards have been reintroduced to England on which military training area?

Salisbury Plain: the Great Bustard Group began releasing chicks on the Wiltshire military training area in 2004, about 170 years after the species was hunted out of Britain; Spain and Portugal hold most of the world population.

At what altitude was a Rüppell's vulture struck by an aircraft in 1973?

11,300 m (37,000 ft): a Rüppell's vulture was ingested by a jet engine over Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in November 1973, the highest confirmed altitude for any bird.

How deep can the largest penguin species dive?

It can stay submerged for around 20 minutes.

Which penguin is the fastest swimmer, reaching about 36 km/h in short bursts?

The gentoo penguin is the fastest swimming penguin, reaching about 36 km/h in short bursts; it is recognised by the white band across the top of its head.

Which African finch is regarded as the most numerous undomesticated bird on Earth?

The red-billed quelea's post-breeding population can reach about 1.5 billion, the most of any wild bird; flocks strip grain fields so thoroughly it is called 'Africa's feathered locust'.

Wisdom, recognised in 2025 as the world's oldest known wild bird, is what species?

Wisdom is a Laysan albatross, first banded at Midway Atoll in 1956 and estimated to be over 70 when she laid an egg again in late 2024.

Which extinct genus includes P. sandersi, the bird with the widest known wingspan?

Pelagornis: P. sandersi, described in 2014 from a fossil found at Charleston airport, had a wingspan of 6 to 7 m, the widest known; the pseudotooth seabirds had bony spikes along the bill.

In which present-day country was John James Audubon born?

Haiti: Audubon was born in 1785 at Les Cayes in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, on his father's sugar plantation, and was raised in France before moving to America in 1803.

Which WWI homing pigeon is credited with helping save the 'Lost Battalion'?

Cher Ami delivered the Lost Battalion's message in October 1918 despite being shot through the breast, losing a leg and an eye during the Meuse-Argonne offensive, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre.

Fossils of Archaeopteryx all come from limestone deposits near which German town?

Solnhofen: every Archaeopteryx fossil comes from the fine-grained Solnhofen limestone of Bavaria, laid down in a Late Jurassic lagoon about 150 million years ago; the first skeleton was found in 1861.

Who proposed counting birds instead of killing them at Christmas in 1900?

Frank Chapman, an ornithologist at the American Museum of Natural History, proposed the Christmas Bird Count in 1900 as an alternative to the holiday 'side hunt' in which teams competed to shoot the most birds.

Roughly what share of bird species are passerines, or perching birds?

More than half: the passerines number some 6,500 species in more than 140 families, roughly 60% of all living birds, from crows and sparrows to birds-of-paradise.

Which is the smallest penguin species in the world?

The little penguin of Australia and New Zealand, also called the fairy penguin or kororā, stands about 33 cm tall and weighs around 1 kg, the smallest penguin species.

The Adélie penguin is named after Adélie Land, itself named for whom?

Jules Dumont d'Urville named it for his wife Adèle.

Which is the most numerous penguin species, with about 18 million individuals?

The macaroni penguin, with its drooping yellow-orange crest, is the most numerous penguin at roughly 18 million birds, breeding in huge colonies on sub-Antarctic islands such as South Georgia.

Why is the African penguin also known as the jackass penguin?

Its donkey-like bray: the African penguin's loud braying display call earned it the name jackass penguin; the species was uplisted to Critically Endangered in 2024.

The grey crowned crane is the national bird of which country?

Uganda: the grey crowned crane, with its stiff golden crown, white cheeks and red throat wattle, is the national bird and appears on both the flag and the coat of arms.

In Japan, the red-crowned crane is said to live for how long?

1,000 years: a Japanese proverb says the crane lives a thousand years and the tortoise ten thousand, which is why the red-crowned crane symbolises luck, longevity and fidelity.

About a quarter of the world's white storks are concentrated in which country?

Poland: the 2004 international census found about 52,000 breeding pairs there, roughly a quarter of all white storks, nesting on chimneys and purpose-built platforms across the countryside.

The shoebill, or whale-headed stork, lives in the swamps of which region?

Tropical East Africa: the shoebill lives in papyrus swamps from South Sudan and Uganda south to Zambia, standing motionless for long spells before lunging at lungfish with its clog-shaped bill.

Which African stork is nicknamed the 'undertaker bird'?

The marabou stork earned the nickname 'undertaker bird' because its cloak-like dark wings, hunched posture and skinny white legs suggest a funeral director seen from behind.

On which caustic Tanzanian lake do most lesser flamingos breed?

Lake Natron: its caustic soda-rich water keeps predators away, so most of the world's lesser flamingos, up to about two million birds, nest on mud islands there.

The scarlet ibis is a national bird of which country?

Trinidad and Tobago: the scarlet ibis represents Trinidad on the coat of arms, paired with the cocrico for Tobago; its Tupi-Guarani name, guará, appears in several Brazilian place names.

The African sacred ibis was linked to which ancient Egyptian god?

Thoth, god of writing and wisdom, was depicted with an ibis head, and millions of mummified ibises were buried at Saqqara and Tuna el-Gebel; the bird had vanished from Egypt by the mid-19th century.

How many California condors remained when the last wild birds were captured in 1987?

27: when the last wild California condor was captured in April 1987, the entire species was 27 captive birds; captive breeding has since put condors back in Arizona, Utah, California and Baja California.

How many wild whooping cranes were left by 1941?

21: hunting and wetland loss cut the wild whooping crane population to 21 birds in 1941, and recovery since has been slow; at about 1.5 m it is the tallest North American bird.

The Guam rail has been reintroduced to which nearby islands?

Rota and Cocos: after the brown tree snake wiped out the Guam rail in the wild in the 1980s, captive-bred birds were released on snake-free Rota and the islet of Cocos off Guam, where they now breed.

The extinct Carolina parakeet was one of how many parrot species native to the United States?

Three: the Carolina parakeet, the thick-billed parrot and the green parakeet are the only parrots regarded as native to the United States; the Carolina parakeet's last confirmed wild sighting was in 1910.

When was the last universally accepted US sighting of the ivory-billed woodpecker?

1944: the last universally accepted sighting was a lone female in Louisiana's Singer Tract in 1944, just before the forest was logged; disputed 21st-century reports from Arkansas, Louisiana and Florida keep hope alive.

Spix's macaw, declared extinct in the wild in 2019, is native to which country?

Brazil: Spix's macaw lived along gallery woodland in the caatinga of Bahia; captive-bred birds were released back there from June 2022, and the species inspired the film Rio.

The Philippine raptor Pithecophaga jefferyi was originally known by what name?

The monkey-eating eagle: locals on Samar told its 1896 discoverer that it preyed exclusively on monkeys, and the name stuck until a 1978 presidential proclamation renamed it the Philippine eagle.

Which is typically the heaviest eagle in the world, at 5 to 10 kg?

Steller's sea eagle: females can reach 9 kg, the heaviest of any eagle on average; about 4,000 breed on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula and many winter on Hokkaido's sea ice.

Which raptor is thought to be the world's most abundant member of the hawk-and-eagle family?

The black kite, found across Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, is thought to be the world's most abundant hawk-and-eagle-family raptor, gathering in large flocks before crossing water on migration.

Ostrich eyes, the largest of any land vertebrate, measure about how wide?

About 50 mm: an ostrich eye is roughly 5 cm across, larger than its brain, and mounted on a head that can sit 2.8 metres above the ground.

The kākāpō breeds only in years when which New Zealand tree fruits heavily?

Rimu: kākāpō breed only in rimu mast years, every two to four years, because the females rear their chicks on the tree's protein-rich fruit.

Which is the longest parrot species, at about one metre?

The hyacinth macaw of Brazil's Pantanal measures about one metre from bill to tail tip, the longest parrot and the largest that can fly; the flightless kākāpō is heavier.

Which hummingbird is the only bird with a beak longer than its body?

The sword-billed hummingbird of the Andes has a bill around 10 cm long, longer than the rest of its body, coevolved with the long-tubed flower Passiflora mixta; it must preen with its feet.

Which crested bird was chosen as Israel's national bird in 2008?

The hoopoe, with its fan-shaped crest, won a national survey of 155,000 Israelis in 2008 to mark the state's 60th anniversary.

Which is the only bird known to enter extended torpor, close to hibernation?

The common poorwill, a nocturnal nightjar of western North America, can stay in torpor for weeks in winter with its body temperature near 5 °C; the Hopi called it 'the sleeping one'.

Folklore once held that the nightjar suckled milk at night from which animal?

Goats: the myth gave the nightjar its old English name 'goatsucker' and its genus name Caprimulgus, Latin for 'goat-milker'; the bird actually hunts insects stirred up around the herds.

Where do acorn woodpeckers store their acorns?

In holes drilled in 'granary' trees: a family group wedges thousands of acorns into individually drilled holes in a dead trunk or utility pole, defending the store all winter and even nesting in autumn to exploit a big crop.

Woody Woodpecker's appearance is thought to be based on which species?

Pileated: Woody's red crest and long bill match the pileated woodpecker, though Walter Lantz's origin story credits an acorn woodpecker hammering on his honeymoon cabin for the character's call.

The northern flicker, nicknamed the yellowhammer, is the state bird of which state?

Alabama adopted the yellowhammer as its state bird in 1927; the nickname was first applied to Alabama's Confederate soldiers, whose uniforms had yellow trim like the flicker's wing feathers.

Alex, the famous grey parrot, was studied for 30 years by which psychologist?

Irene Pepperberg bought Alex in 1977 and worked with him until his death in 2007; his name was an acronym for 'avian learning experiment', and he could label about 50 objects and count to six.

Which crow species is a model for studying tool use in birds?

The New Caledonian crow makes hooked tools from twigs and barbed pandanus leaves to winkle grubs out of crevices, the only non-human animal known to craft hooks in the wild.

Haast's eagle, the largest eagle ever known, preyed mainly on what?

Moa: Haast's eagle, weighing up to about 15 kg, struck moa many times its own size with talons like a tiger's; it died out around 1400, soon after Māori settlers hunted the moa to extinction.

Where are a kiwi's nostrils located?

At the tip of its beak, uniquely among birds, which lets the kiwi sniff out prey underground before it sees it.

Some ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate non-stop across which body of water?

The Gulf of Mexico: many ruby-throated hummingbirds cross it non-stop, roughly 800 km (500 miles) of open water, after nearly doubling their body weight in fat beforehand.

After the northern cardinal, which bird is the state bird of the most US states?

The western meadowlark is the state bird of six states (Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon and Wyoming), second only to the northern cardinal; the mockingbird has five.

The bee hummingbird is native to which island?

Cuba: the bee hummingbird is found only on Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud; males weigh under 2 grams and may visit 1,500 flowers a day.

Which is the heaviest living bird native to North America?

The trumpeter swan, with males averaging about 12 kg and reaching 17 kg, is the heaviest bird native to North America and on average the largest living waterfowl.

The whooper swan has been the national bird of which country since 1981?

Finland chose the whooper swan as its national bird in 1981, and a pair of flying swans appears on the Finnish 1 euro coin.

What is remarkable about the nest of the African hamerkop?

A huge domed stick nest up to 1.5 m across: the hamerkop builds a roofed structure of thousands of sticks with a side entrance, strong enough to bear a person's weight.

The rhinoceros hornbill is the national bird of which country?

Malaysia: the rhinoceros hornbill, with its upturned orange casque, is the national bird and also the state bird of Sarawak, where it features in Dayak ceremonies.

What is unusual about the helmeted hornbill's casque?

It is almost solid: the helmeted hornbill's casque, carved as 'hornbill ivory', makes up about 11% of its body weight, and males ram each other with it in mid-air combat.

Wrynecks get their English name from an ability to turn their heads how far?

About 180°: when threatened a wryneck writhes its neck and twists its head almost halfway round like a snake, a display that gave the small Old World woodpeckers of the genus Jynx their name.

The extinct huia of New Zealand was remarkable for what difference between the sexes?

The female's bill was long and curved; the male's short and stout.

Which was the first known endemic North American bird to go extinct after the Columbian Exchange?

The Labrador duck: the last specimen was shot on Long Island in 1875, making it the first endemic North American bird known to vanish after European contact; the great auk also bred in Europe.

Which living pigeon of Indo-Pacific islands is the dodo's closest living relative?

The Nicobar pigeon, a glossy green-and-copper bird of islands from the Nicobars to the Solomons, was identified as the dodo's closest living relative by DNA analysis in 2002.

Madagascar's elephant birds are often credited with inspiring which legendary giant bird?

The roc: Marco Polo reported that the giant rukh of Arabian legend came from Madagascar, and elephant-bird eggs and bones are widely thought to lie behind the tale.

The kiwi's closest relatives are which extinct group, according to DNA studies?

Malagasy elephant birds: a 2014 ancient-DNA study found the kiwi's closest relatives were Madagascar's elephant birds, not the moa it shared New Zealand with, implying ratites dispersed by flying.

Sage grouse males gather each spring on display grounds known as what?

Leks: each spring male sage grouse gather on traditional display grounds called leks, puffing up whitish air sacs and strutting with tails fanned while the hens choose among them.

Which kingfisher, the sole member of the genus Ceryle, hovers over water before diving?

The pied kingfisher, the only member of the genus Ceryle, is the kingfisher most given to hovering, hanging in place over lakes and rivers across Africa and Asia before plunging on fish.

Ibises share which bird family with the spoonbills?

Threskiornithidae: ibises, with down-curved bills, and spoonbills, with flattened ones, form a single family named after Threskiornis, the genus of the African sacred ibis.

Which North American plover is famous for its 'broken-wing display' to lure predators from its nest?

The killdeer runs from its ground nest calling, then droops a wing and fans its tail to draw a predator away; against grazing animals it instead charges in an 'ungulate display'.

Which hormone controls the production of 'crop milk' in pigeons, as it does lactation in mammals?

Prolactin, the same hormone that triggers mammalian lactation, makes the crop lining of both pigeon parents slough off a cheesy 'milk'; flamingos and male emperor penguins produce a similar secretion.

Which structure found in bird eyes, but not in mammals', nourishes the retina?

The pecten, a comb-like, blood-rich fold projecting into the vitreous, feeds the bird retina, which has no blood vessels of its own; mammalian eyes have no such structure.

Which Eurasian wading bird's far-back eyes give it a full 360-degree field of view?

The woodcock's eyes sit so far back that it can see all round, including behind; it probes soft ground with a long sensitive bill and relies on cryptic reddish-brown plumage.