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Hummingbirds of the World

Posted on August 2, 2023August 2, 2023 by Kayla Fisk

Hummingbirds belong to the family Trochilidae, native to only the Americas. They are the third largest bird family, right after the tyrant flycatchers and tanagers, consisting of 363 species in 112 genera. They occur as far north as Alaska and as far south as Tierra del Fuego, though the highest concentration can be found in…

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Woodpecker Adaptation: Feathered Beak

Posted on March 10, 2023 by Kayla Fisk

Woodpeckers have several different adaptations to deal with the unique hazards caused by their habits of chiseling and excavating wood, to either create a nest cavity or searching for insects. One hazard they face is that when chipping away wood and bark are the stray splinters flying through the air, especially so close to their…

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Finch Beaks

Posted on March 8, 2023 by Kayla Fisk

Even within the same family, related species can have a vastly different appearance. One of the parts of a bird that can vary is their beaks, since the shape has evolved around their primary food source. One group that this can be seen in are finches. Pine siskins, a small boreal finch, have thin beaks,…

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Bird Pigments: Melanin

Posted on February 20, 2023 by Kayla Fisk

Birds get their colors from various pigments and feather structures. One of those three pigments seen in birds is melanin.  Melanin occurs both in a bird’s feathers, but also their skin. Depending on the concentration of this pigment, different colors can be produced. From being more sparse, which can include colors such as reddish browns…

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What is a Species?

Posted on January 23, 2023 by Kayla Fisk

 Even within a single species, there can be great variations of plumage, size and behaviors. For example, I absolutely love red tailed hawks, their diversity is incredible. They also are a good example for this episode. At the very basic the red-tailed hawk is classified as a species with a species name of Buteo jamaicensis….

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Bird Feet: Zygodactyl

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Kayla Fisk

Not all bird feet are alike, even toe shape and placement can vary. One example of different toe alignment seen in birds is being zygodactyl, where two toes face forward and the other two face backwards. This can be seen in species such as woodpeckers, parrots and owls. This arrangement of toes is perfect for…

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Bird Adaptations: Woodpecker’s Tail

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Kayla Fisk

When you see a woodpecker, they are typically clinging onto the bark of a tree or branches, usually using their tail to prop themselves up. This position would typically put a lot of pressure and wear on their longest tail feathers. Because of this risk of increased damage to these feathers, they have a special…

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Bird Anatomy: Gonys

Posted on January 4, 2023January 4, 2023 by Kayla Fisk

A bird’s beak can have different components to it depending on the species or bird family.  On gull species, where the two lateral plates of the lower mandible connect towards the tip of the beak form a ridge or bulge called the gonydeal expansion. This bulge also causes a bump out on the lower mandible…

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Bird Anatomy: Beak

Posted on December 15, 2022December 16, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

In a previous blog post I went over some of the many different shapes a bird’s beak may have and how they are adapted to their diet, but I never went over what parts of a bird’s beak actually are. They are an important part of the topography of a bird and to truly appreciate…

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Growing Up Bird: Eggs

Posted on December 3, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

Bird eggs are a very unique period in a bird’s life. They, like birds, come in a wide variety of colors and shapes. They have their own unique adaptations to give them the best chance of making it to hatching. The egg shell’s purpose is to be strong enough to protect the baby birds growing…

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