About a
week ago, I was out and about running my weekend errands when I happened to
pass by the big spruce on the corner. From somewhere deep within the tree, I
heard the sweet, clear, unmistakeable chirp, chirp, chirping. I peeked inside
the cavern created by all the thick, tangled branches, and there, on a branch
about two feet above me, stood a beautiful gray and rusty little sparrow, celebrating
a sunny February day by sharing his song with the world.
He was
a very welcomed sight to a nature enthusiast such as myself, but it was hardly
a very unusual one. You can see little gray birds sitting on branches all over
the place.
But
here are a few birds how are far from the every day. These guys can do things
no other bird in the world can do!
Biggest: Everyone
knows the largest bird on earth today is the impressive Ostrich. The males can
get to be over 9 feet tall (2.8 m) and weigh up to 345 lb (156 kg). Now that’s
a big bird! However, history has seen bigger. The fossil record tells us that
the most astoundingly huge bird was the long extinct Giant Moa of New Zealand.
These birds could grow to be as much as 12 feet (3.7 m) tall! He wouldn’t even
be able to stand up straight in your house!
Smallest: The
title of smallest living bird goes, hands down, to the adorable little Bee
Hummingbird. With a length of about 2.4 inches (6 cm) and a weight that’s
measured in ounces and grams, this itty bitty fella is easily the smallest
member of the bird family. If you just have to see it for yourself (and I don’t
blame you), click here to see a picture of the bird in comparison to the human hand.
Highest Flyer: The
name that seem to come up most in this category is Ruppell’s Vulture. Either way, there is evidence of each of these birds leaving
the tallest mountain ranges (including the Himalaya’s and Mt. Everest) far
below them. They have neared heights of 37,000 feet (11,300 m), apparently quite
comfy at altitudes that would destroy a mere human!
Deepest Diver: According to this article, not long ago, scientists performed an experiment by attaching
a little cameral to an Imperial Cormorant to see where it would go. Well, the
little creature hopped into the water and began to dive – and dive – and dive!
Scientists were shocked to watch the bird dive to a depth of 46 meters (150
feet)! To give you some perspective, that’s about as deep as the Statue of
Liberty is tall!
Longest Migration:
This is another question which has been amply answered through the wonder of
modern technology. A transmitter shows that the Arctic Tern, a small and
unassuming bird, holds the impressive record of being the longest migrator of
any creature (not just birds) in the world! On their route between Greenland and
the Antarctic every year, they cover 44,000 miles (71,000 km)!
Ugliest: This is
kind of a scary category, not just because of the aspect of it, but because of
how many candidates there are! It’s hard to offer a definitive answer for these
appearance-based categories since they’re based largely on subjective opinion,
but it’s hard to deny that the Potoo bird could at least make a “Most Unusual
Looking” list. Click here to see pictures and judge for yourself.
Most Beautiful:
This could, quite easily, be the most impossible category to try and define.
What qualifies a bird to be “beautiful”? Is it a great flashy array of colors
like so many parrots? Or is it a more subtle and elegant color scheme like the
common robin? Is it a graceful shape? A particular size or shape of bill? Should
the feathers be long and flowing, or shorter and streamlined? Should he be soft
and fluffy, or slick and glossy? Click here and choose for yourself.
Wow!
Birds truly are some of Mother Nature’s most amazing creatures!
So, the
next time you see a common little gray bird sitting on a branch, take a moment
to doff your hat. That ordinary little guy comes from a very impressive clan!
Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK
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