They are the descendants of dinosaurs, the only animals on the planet with feathers, and the closest non-reptile relatives of crocodiles. Of course, we’re talking about birds! With over 9,000 species, our avian neighbors live and thrive on every continent, and they have several amazing adaptations and ancient features that make them some of the most remarkable animals on Earth. In this article, we cover 15 of these unbelievable features, so read on if you’re fond of our feathered friends.
From your friendly neighborhood crow to some of the rarest bird species in the world, here are 15 fantastic facts about birds.
You're surely aware that these terrestrial animals lay the biggest eggs among all birds. But that's not the only record-breaking feature of these massive raptors. Ostriches have the biggest eyes among all other terrestrial animals. They are about the size of a billiard ball. In fact, ostrich eyes are larger than their brains.
Due to their specific odor, hoatzins are also called "stink birds." But that's not the only fact we wanted to share about these tropical South American birds. Until the age of three months, baby hoatzins actually have claws on each wing. The baby birds use these claws to climb and hold onto tree branches. Amazing, right?! It kind of reminds us of those ancient birdlike dinosaurs like the Archaeopteryx.
Cardinals love covering their bodies in ants. "What a weird hobby!" - one might think at first. But this bizarre behavior has quite a practical explanation. The birds roll themselves in either living or crushed ants and allow the insects to crawl among their feathers. This type of "ant bath" is believed to keep lice and other parasites away.
Without any exaggeration, albatrosses are the Chuck Norrises of the bird world. These birds are so tough that they can even sleep and fly at the same time. Not one fish will escape the watchful eyes of these birds!
Kiwis are sometimes referred to as "honorary mammals." These flightless birds that hail from New Zealand indeed have many "non-birdlike" characteristics, such as heavy bones filled with bonemarrow, hairline feathers, and nostrils at the tip of their beak (most birds have nostrils at the base of the beak).
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