What is a bird? Birds are vertebrates with feathers. They have distinctive bills, are endothermic, produce large eggs, have elaborate parental behavior, and have extraordinary vocal abilities. The anatomy and physiology of most birds are adapted for flight. Birds share with reptiles many anatomical features that distinguish them from mammals. What Makes a Bird a […]
James’ flamingos in Salar Uyuni, Bolivia. Photo: Christian-Mehlfuhrer. Classification Flamingos belong to the Phoenicopteridae family. Close relatives Flamingos’ closest relatives are the grebes. Likewise, flamingos and grebes are more closely related to pigeons and doves than to other water birds of similar appearance. Conservation The biggest threats are the loss of habitat due to pollution,
Families All hummingbirds belong to the family Trochilidae. Close Relatives They are closely related to the swifts of the family Apodidae. Conservation The major threat to hummingbirds is habitat loss. There are 37 species of hummingbirds in the list of threatened and endangered birds. Distribution Hummingbirds occur only in the Americas. Diet They feed mostly
Barn Owl looking for small mammals in open habitats. 28 Frequently Asked Questions About Barn Owls The Barn Owl, whose scientific name is Tyto alba is one of the world’s most popular owls. It occurs in most continents, and although fairly common and adapted to life with humans, it is rarely seen by many due
Frequently Asked Questions About Ospreys Ospreys, scientifically known as Pandion haliaetus, are one of the most popular birds in North America. Associated with shorelines and various bodies of water, ospreys’ large nests can be observed readily from afar. Ospreys are also known as Fishhawks. As the name suggests, ospreys feed almost exclusively on fish, and
Since the Stone Age, humans have been fascinated with birds. Their variety in colors and sizes, a wide repertoire of songs and calls, their ability to fly and migrate across the globe, and their ubiquitous presence have been a source of inspiration for stories about human interactions with the natural world. Birds as Components of Ecosystems
Magnification Power and Aperture in Binoculars Binoculars bring distant birds, and other wildlife, up close, allowing the careful study of shapes, colors, and patterns. If you are shopping for a pair of binoculars, making the right choice means understanding the magnification power and image brightness, and how these two elements influence the field of view,
Parakeets mostly live in habitats where the green color of their plumage predominates. Native forests that look like a habitat for parakeets do not exist on the central coast of Peru, which is one of the driest regions in the world. What most resembles the habitat of parakeets are the corridors of desert scrub that
The Gray-bellied Hawk (Accipiter poliogaster) is one of the largest members of the genus Accipiter and occurs in a large range in South America. It occurs mostly in continuous forests and to a lesser extent in semi-disturbed habitats. Apparently, there are two disjunct populations, in Amazonia and in southern Brazil (Figure 2). Despite its size and
Being able to identify the birds you see in the field not only increases the value of an outdoor experience but can also help conserve birds and their habitats. If you are interested in getting to know the birds you see and reporting your records to databases used by scientists and conservationists, these simple
