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Learn About Birds

Explore Bird Species

Category: adaptations

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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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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Term: Dihedral

Posted on April 29, 2022September 12, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

One of the more common large birds you may see overhead throughout North America is the turkey vulture, especially in the spring as they migrate in large numbers northward. One of their features to help identify them when they are in flight, even if they are at a great distance away, is their flight style….

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Bird Adaptations: Ocelli

Posted on April 16, 2022September 12, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

While out hiking in a field, you spot a little american kestrel in a telephone wire. Its back is to you and you notice an interesting pattern on the back of its head, which appears to resemble eyes. These feather patterns aren’t eyes though, they are called ocelli, or false eye spots. This adaptation can…

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Bird Anatomy: Nictitating Membrane

Posted on April 8, 2022September 12, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

For birds to survive, they need keen eyesight, to find food, to navigate their environment, find a mate and avoiding becoming something else’s meal. So it is critical to protect their eyes, especially when flying through the air and through vegetation where there is an increased risk of something hitting their eyes and causing abrasions….

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Bird Anatomy: Supraorbital Ridge

Posted on March 18, 2022September 12, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

Birds of prey have excellent vision, they need it to be able to see prey from perched in a tree or soaring high above the ground. Though, something can get in the way of their vision, making it difficult to clearly see, especially when out in the open, and that is the sun. Many times…

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Bird Anatomy: Lamellae

Posted on March 5, 2022September 12, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

If you look at the bills of some duck species, you may see it lined with fine comb-like structures. These little projections are called lamellae and are made of keratin. These slightly flexible structures are used to filter and strain food from mud or water. These structures will be seen mostly in dabbling ducks along…

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Bird Anatomy: Tomial Tooth

Posted on February 25, 2022September 12, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

The tomial tooth, or the mandibular tomia, is not really a tooth at all, but a projection that can be seen in the outer edge on beaks of falcons, kites, and shrikes. This “tooth”  also corresponds with a divot on the lower bill, called the mandibular notch; these together act like a pair of scissors…

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How Do Birds Survive Winter?

Posted on February 21, 2022September 11, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

Winter can be a tough time for birds, from even the simplest of daily tasks becoming a bigger challenge during this time of year. From finding food, to avoiding becoming food for someone else, to just trying to stay warm in temperatures that could drop into the negatives. But birds are resourceful and have adapted…

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