fierybilledaracari
Birdbeaksareoftensuitedforbirddiets.Thefierybilledaracari’sbeakisrazor-sharptosliceopenfruit.
TailoredtotheTask
Tosurviveinsomanydifferenthabitats,theworld’s10,000orsobirdspeciesarediverse.Theyrangeinsize.OstrichesinAfrica canbe2.7meters(ninefeet)tall.Thebee hummingbird,foundonlyinCuba,canfitinthepalmofyourhandwithroomto spare.
Birdbillscanbemassive,likethetoucan’s,orsmall,liketheweebill’s.Thesword-billedhummingbird’sbillisaslongastherestofits body!
Somebirdsarefullofcolor,likethepaintedbuntinginTexas.Otherscomeinvariousshadesofbrown:darkbrown,lightbrown,tan,beige, bran-colored...
superbparrot
DelightfullyDiverse
Theybehaveindiverseways,too.Somearehighlysocial,others,notsomuch.Flamingosgatherinflocksofmillions.Parakeetsbuildentireparakeetcitiesintreesoutofsticks.Dipperswalkaloneandunderwater,onthebedsofmountainstreams.Awanderingalbatrossmayglide16,000kilometers(10,000miles)inasinglejourney,awayfromanyother albatrosses.
I’vemetfriendlybirds,liketheNewZealandfantailthatoncefollowedmedownatrail.AndI’vemetmeanones,likethecaracarainChilethatswoopeddownandtriedtoknockmyheadoffwhenIstaredatittoolong.
Roadrunnersrelyonteamworktokillrattlesnakesforfood.Onebirddistractsthesnakewhileanothersneaksupbehindit.Bee-eaterseatbees.Leaftosserstossleaves.Peregrinefalconscandivedownwardthroughtheairat386 kilometers(240miles)an hour.
Awren-likerushbirdcanspenditsentirelifebesideatinypond.AceruleanwarblermaymigratetoPeruandthenfinditswaybacktothetreeinNewJerseywhereitnestedtheyear before.
2018
THEYEAR
OFTHEBIRD
superbfairywren
In1918,theU.S.CongresspassedtheMigratoryBirdTreatyActtoprotectbirds.It’soneoftheoldestwildlifeprotectionlaws.Inthehundredyearssincethislawpassed,millionsofbirdshavebeenprotectedfromhunting,trapping,and selling.