Birds of a feather flock together. Here are some fun facts about some of the members of our fine feathered friends:
There are more than 10,000 described bird species in the world, some of them are bound to be a little, well, unusual. But sometimes it’s the unusual that we find so endearing. From the weirdly wild to the wackily wonderful, here are 10 fun facts about some of our fine feathered friends.
Crows hold funerals. Mourning is not something very well understood in the animal kingdom, but there is some evidence suggests that some animals grieve in ways similar to humans. Elephants are the most well-known example, but crows also recognize death, holding funerals for their dead. People come together to mourn and remember lost loved ones, crows seem to do it to evaluate whether there is a threat to them, National Geographic reports. They aren’t mourning so much as investigating whether their fellow crow died from something that could also pose a danger to other crows according to the National Geographic Society.
Hummingbirds are a sight to behold, and their flight skills are nothing short of spectacular. They can, of course, fly forward and up and down, but they can also fly backward and even hover in place, the only bird with this capability according to the National Audobon Society.
Many birds, particularly songbirds, are known to pick up ants in their bills and then wipe or rub them on their feathers, often repeating the process with many ants at a time. This unusual behavior has been observed in more than 200 bird species, including cardinals, robins, crows, great horned owls and wild turkeys. Researchers believe this behavior might have to do with maintaining their feathers. It also may help control parasites and other organisms on their feathers, because the species of ants used for anting typically have high concentrations of formic acid, which can help kill mites and parasites, BirdWatching reports.
Owls swallow some of their food whole. Birds don’t have teeth so they have other ways of eating and digesting their food. In the case of owls, they swallow small prey like mice and voles whole, letting their digestive system do the work of separating the digestible and non-digestible parts. The bits they can’t digest, like feathers and bones, collect in their gizzard, a muscular part of a birds’ stomach that collects and compacts and ultimately is regurgitated as a pellet according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Northern Shrikes impale their food.These birds are unusual among songbirds, they often eat small birds and mammals along with insects. They don’t always eat their catch right away, sometimes they store it for later, which they do in an unusual way. Shrikes are ambush hunters, catching their prey with their feet and then diving to the ground with it to finish killing the animal. When they aren’t going to eat their catch right away, they look for a sharp object; barbed wire, a sharp stick or branch or something similar and impale it so they can keep it safe for a future meal.
Woodpeckers can peck really fast. They peck wood for many reasons. Sometimes they are looking for an insect meal, while other times they are trying to create a cavity for a nest or roosting spot. In the spring, woodpeckers can peck away at wood and other surfaces while trying to attract a mate,
Pigeons can recognize humans. It’s faces in particular that they recognize. Even with a change of clothes, pigeons are able to recognize particular faces, Live Science reports. They seem to use this ability to stay away from people who aren’t especially friendly. Crows are also said to be able to recognize people and even remember which humans are good and which are bad. Some crows have even been known to leave “gifts” for humans who feed them.
Blue Jays collect paint chips. Blue Jays sometimes hoard chips of paint, usually light-colored paint, to use as a source of calcium in the spring according to Nature Canada. Why do they need calcium? To lay eggs. Many paints contain limestone, which is a good source of calcium.
Some birds can sleep while flying.You’ve probably heard the phrase “sleep with one eye open,” its’s not just a silly expression in the world of birds. Some birds actually can sleep with one eye open, and some can even sleep in flight. Seriously. Birds don’t sleep quite as deeply as humans do. They usually sleep for just short bits of time until waking up from predators, other nearby birds or weather conditions.
Turkey Vultures puke in self-defense. Turkey vultures eat dead animals, but it’s not their only disgusting behavior. They have a pretty effective defense mechanism too. How do they keep potential threats at bay? They vomit on whatever happens to be threatening or bothering them. They also poop on their feet to cool off according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.