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fierybilledaracari
Thefierybilledaracari’sbeakissupersharptosliceopenfruit.
TailoredtotheTask
Howdobirdssurviveinsomanydifferentplaces?Birdshaveevolvedindifferentways.OstrichesinAfricacanbe2.7 meters(ninefeet)tall.InCuba,abeehummingbirdcanfitinthepalmofyourhand.Andthereisstillroomtospare.
Somebirdsarefullofcolor,likethepaintedbuntinginTexas.Otherscomeinvariousshadesofbrown.
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superbparrot
DelightfullyDiverse
Birdsbehaveindifferentways,too.Someareverysocial.Othersarenot.Flamingosgatherinflocksofmillions.Parakeetsbuildentireparakeetcitiesintreesoutofsticks.Dipperscanwalkunderwater.Awanderingalbatrossmayglidealone16,000kilometers(10,000miles)inasinglejourney.
I’vemetfriendlybirds,liketheNewZealandfantailthatfollowedmedownatrail.I’vemetmeanones,too.InChile,acaracaratriedtoknockmyheadoffforstaringatittoolong.Arushbirdcanliveitswholelifeinoneplace.AceruleanwarblermaymigratefromNewJerseytoPeru.
2018
THEYEAR
OFTHEBIRD
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superbfairywren
In1918,theU.S. CongresspassedtheMigratoryBirdTreatyActtoprotectbirds.It’soneoftheoldestwildlifeprotectionlaws.Inthehundredyearssincethislawpassed,millionsofbirdshavebeen protected.