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….
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…
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…
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…
In the bird world, if you say ear tufts, you would probably instantly think of the ear tufts on owls. This feature is found on many owl species, about 50 of the 200 plus owl species have ear tufts, seemingly mostly occurring in nocturnal, forest dwelling species. But there are many other species that possess…
Feather quality is important for a bird’s survival, it provides insulation and flight to name a few. Keeping these feathers in top condition is crucial for their survival. To do this, birds spend lots of time preening, but it can be difficult to reach feathers around their face. Some species will have others of its…
Winter is a tough time for birds, and different species choose different ways of dealing with the seasons harsh conditions. With colder temperatures and less easily accessible food sources many species choose to migrate further south. While others stay and use other adaptations to survive, either by stashing food or changing their main food source….
I believe to truly understand and appreciate how unique birds are you must know what makes a bird a bird. What makes up each and every species no matter what they are. To know what makes them so different you must see what makes them similar. And from there you can really appreciate what makes…
It’s the one thing that no other living group of species has, feathers. They are viral for a birds survival, they provide insulation, flight, and aid in courship. From feathers you can tell an individuals species, and sometimes its age and sex. They can form patterns and affect what their body shape looks like, to…