Quick Facts about Bird Nests

Quick Facts about Bird Nests

Birds are an incredibly diverse animal group. This is reflected in many aspects of their reproductive ecology, as you can see in this short list of facts about the nests of birds. Largest tree nest: a Bald Eagle nest in Florida which was 20 feet (6.1m) deep, 9.5 feet...
Why birds sing in the morning

Why birds sing in the morning

Have you ever noticed that the level of singing activity by birds changes during the day? Bird singing varies throughout the day and generally follows a circadian (daily) rhythm, usually along what’s known as a bimodal pattern, i.e. two main periods of singing...
Quick Facts About Bird Flight

Quick Facts About Bird Flight

Birds are an incredibly diverse animal group. This is certainly reflected in their flying abilities, as you can see in this short list of facts about bird flight. Fastest bird: Peregrine Falcon diving at 117 mph (188 km/h). It is believed this bird may even reach...
Quick Facts About Aquatic Birds

Quick Facts About Aquatic Birds

Birds are very well adapted to aquatic environments, as you can see in this short list of facts about the swimming ability of birds. Most aquatic bird: the Penguins, who spend 75% of their life-span out in the open sea. Fastest underwater swimming bird: the Gentoo...
Quick Facts About Bird Physiology

Quick Facts About Bird Physiology

Birds are an incredibly diverse animal group. This is reflected in their physiology, as you can see in this short list of facts about the stamina and endurance ability of birds. Coldest average temperature regularly endured by a bird:  -50º F (-45.6º C) by Emperor...

The Longest Bird Life Spans

Bird banding recoveries permit biologists to determine how long each bird has survived in the wild. While biologists and scientists are more interested in the average life span of a species, it is also interesting to see how long it is possible for birds to live. And...
Quick Facts About Bird Anatomy

Quick Facts About Bird Anatomy

Birds are an incredibly diverse animal group. This is reflected in every aspect of their anatomy, as you can see in this short list of facts about the bodies of birds. Size Tallest bird – Ostrich at 9 ft (2.7 m) Smallest bird – Bee Hummingbird at 2.24...
Quick Facts About Bird Eggs

Quick Facts About Bird Eggs

Birds are an incredibly diverse animal group. This is reflected in the large differences between some of the species with regards to their breeding biology, as you can see in this short list of facts about bird eggs. Largest egg —  laid by the Ostrich, it...
How Do Birds Stay Warm in Winter?

How Do Birds Stay Warm in Winter?

It’s cold outside. Much of North America is in the midst of a deep freeze with the kind of cold that makes you wish you could hide under a large pile of warm blankets. But what do birds do when it gets this cold? Pull out a small pile of warm blankets to hide...
Why birds fly in a V-shaped formation

Why birds fly in a V-shaped formation

Long, trailing Vee’s of flying ducks and geese are one of the truly enduring images of wild animals. The sight of those wavering V’s crossing the sky means only one of two things: either spring has begun or winter is close at hand. In either case, there is...
Facts about Boreal Forest Birds

Facts about Boreal Forest Birds

The boreal forest in North America is a vast tract of coniferous and mixed coniferous-deciduous forest which stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean across  northern Canada and through Alaska. The Canadian portion alone is approximately 2 million square...

The Life Span of Some Common Birds

One of the interesting types of data that scientists obtain through bird banding is information on the life span of many bird species. By re-trapping birds or receiving band reports from birdwatchers who find dead birds, scientists can use the database maintained by...