Facts About Birds
In Bob Marley’s classic song “Three Little Birds,” Bob sings of three little birds on his door step singing a sweet song. Birds are magnificent creatures that are able to travel to where ever they wish because of there ability to fly. There are about 10,000 different species of birds (Rainforest Canopy). There are birds everywhere around the world. These birds vary from size, location, and risk of extinction.
Birds come in many different sizes, the smallest being the male bee hummingbirds (Birds of a Feather). These humming birds are found in Cuba and weigh .056 ounces and are roughly 2.75 inches long (Birds of a Feather). The male bee hummingbirds bill and tail account for 50 percent of its total length (Birds of a Feather). The largest bird is the Ostrich, which cannot fly (Life 123). The Ostrich can be 9 feet tall and weigh up to 350 pounds (Life 123). They are incredibly fast, reaching speeds of 43 mph (Life 123). They also have amazingly powerful legs, which have the ability to kill a human (Life 123). They are generally found in Africa (Life 123). The largest flying bird is the Andean Condor, which has a wingspan of 10 feet and is about 4 feet long (Life 123). The fastest bird is the Peregrine Falcon, which can fly at 124 mph (Birds of a Feather). The slowest is the American woodcock, which is able to flap its wings and fly at 5 mph (Birds of a Feather). The longitivtiy of the flight depends on the size of the bird (Madsci Network). The larger birds are able to flap their wings less, while smaller birds need more rest due to flapping their wings more (Madsci Network). One study tracked a female Bar-Tailed Godwit, which traveled 7,150 miles in a week (Mongabay.com). All birds eat about the same amount each day (Wildlife Garden). They eat as soon as they get up, and then find a large enough meal to last them through the night, larger birds obviously needing more to eat (Wildlife Garden).
Birds tend to eat seeds, grains, sugar water, nuts, and mealworms, unless they are carnivorous birds (Buzzle). Carnivorous birds will eat mice, snakes, and previously killed animals (Buzzle). Birds are found all around the world, but 50 % of them live in the Amazon and Indonesia (Mongabay). Within the Amazon, there are about 350 different types of parrots (Mongabay). The birds that are seen in temperate areas tend to eat nectar, berries, nuts and even tree sap (Buzzle). They have the ability to break hard things like nuts with their beaks (Buzzle). The sugar water that can be given to birds through bird feeders mimics nectar, and this attracts hummingbirds (Buzzle). Birds can even eat homemade goods such as bread, crackers, and pancakes (Buzzle).
There is an estimated 200 to 400 billion total birds in the world (Springerlink). Unfortunately, there are a large number of birds that are expected to die off. Since 1800, a total of 103 birds have become extinct (Camacdonald). Out of the current amount of species of birds, which is 10,000 as stated earlier, 12% are at a serious risk of becoming extinct in 100 years (Camcdonald). This is due to hunting, human destruction of land, and new predators that birds have not yet learned to fear (Camcdonald). Another problem is that birds have difficulty reaching adulthood. Small birds living in temporate regions live for about 1.5 years, but only 20% even reach adulthood (Countrysideinfo). Tropical birds, sea birds, and big birds live can live about ten times longer (Countrysideinfo).
Birds vary in size, location, and risk of extinction. They are incredible creatures that come in all shapes and sizes, and many bright and beautiful colors. They come from all over the world. Unfortunately, many birds are at risk of becoming extinct. This is due to human intrusion. This threat to many different species of birds can be put to a end if humans begin to take action to further protect birds.
Works Cited
Pandit, Smita. What Do Birds Eat. 29 June 2010. 9/22/2010 http://www.buzzle.com/articles/what-do-birds-eat.html.
Hounsome, Dr. Mike. Lifespan of Birds. 2003. 22 Sep. 2010 http://www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/bird_lifespan.htm
Bird Flies 7,150 miles in a week. 11 Sep. 2007. 22 Sep. 2010 http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0911-bird.html
Conway, Samuel. How Long Can Birds Fly Before They Must Stop To Rest. 25 Jul. 1998. 22 Sep. 2010 http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/aug98/902268826.Zo.r.html
Mork, Rachel. What Is The Biggest Bird In The World?. 22 Sep. 2010 http://www.life123.com/sports/bird-watching/bird-facts/what-is-the-biggest-bird.shtml
Smallest Bird, Largest Bird, Fastest Bird, Slowest Bird. 2010. 22 Sep. 2010 http://www.victorialodging.com/recreation/birding/small-big-fast-slow
How Birds Eat. 2007. 22 Sep. 2010 http://www.wildlifegarden.co.uk/behaviour.html
How Does Extinction Happen?. 22 Sep. 2010 http://www.camacdonald.com/birding/actionalerts.html
Gaston, Kevin J. & Blackburn, Tim M. How Many Birds Are There?. 1997. 22 Sep. 2010 http://www.springerlink.com/content/g462245897502720/
