16/04/2022
8 amazing facts about birds
1. The Flamingo
Can eat only when its head is upside down.
2. Birds originally descended from reptiles
The Archaeopteryx is the earliest known bird which lived approximately 147 million years ago. This bird was so different to todays birds. Not only did it have a long bony tail but it also had teeth!
3. The robin
Was voted the UK’s most popular wild bird.
4. The largest living bird in the world is
The Ostrich, which can reach a height of up to 2.7 metres with a wingspan of up to 2 metres (fairly impressive for a bird that can’t fly). It will come as no surprise that the Ostrich also lays the largest bird eggs, weighing in at up to 1.5 kilograms.
5. The smallest living bird in the world is
The Hummingbird. Specifically the Bee Hummingbird, which measures a minute 5.5 centimetres long and weighs no more than 1.9 grams. Another fact about this bird is it also lays the smallest eggs, which are pea-sized.
6. Brown or white?
A chicken with dark earlobes will produce brown eggs and a chicken with white earlobes will produce white eggs.
7. Beats per minute
Bird’s heart beats can range from ~100 times per minute while resting to ~1200 beats per minute while flying, depending on the type of bird and temperature.
8. The only known poisonous bird in the world is
The Pitohui of Papua, New Guinea. The poison is found in its skin and feathers.
