Avoid Obesity in Pet Birds

People who keep birds as pets, generally do so because they enjoy their company and entertaining antics. Yet many of these bird lovers inadvertently allow their pet birds to become overweight, even to the point of obesity, exposing them to a host of possible health problems. Pet birds are very often confined to a cage and have their wings clipped to prevent flight and possible injury, resulting in a lack of exercise. Add to this the temptation to offer tasty tidbits to your feathered friend, and it is easy to see why pet birds can have the tendency to gain excess weight.

The Silent Flight of Owls at Night

The Owl is a fascinating nocturnal bird and one of the quietest flying bird species in the world. The Owl’s ability to keep completely silent while in action is based on the Owl’s unique feather design, which is unlike any other bird species.

The Amazing Migration of the Arctic Tern

The Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) is a relatively small bird that is able to achieve staggering feats of flight. They are easily recognizable by their rounded heads that are covered in smooth black plumage, while the rest of their bodies are white in color. Another interesting fact about the Arctic Tern is that its bright orange beak changes color to red during the breeding. But it is the Arctic Tern migration that has made this little bird specie famous.

How Do Hummingbirds Hover?

Hummingbirds are a bird species well known for their amazing aerobatic skills. You may see a hummingbird hovering at a flower having a drink of nectar. Its wings are a misty blur either side of it. In an instant, it might dart forward, sideways, backwards or even upside down, wings beating furiously at 50 to 80, or even more, beats per second. The number of beats per second varies according to the size and species of the bird. It has been reported that a hummingbird can travel at speeds of 30 to 60 miles per hour (50 to 100 km/h) and then abruptly stop and hover in one position. How do they accomplish these amazing aerobatic feats?

The Marvelous Mechanics of Flight

Although airplane wings may be somewhat modeled after the wings of birds, the mechanics of bird flight are far more complex. A number of forces act on the flexible wings of a bird and are very different from those on the fixed wings of an airplane. Birds are highly specialized creatures and adapted for flight. They dominate the skies and occupy a unique niche in the environment.

Sleepy Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds have incredibly busy days. Their heart is beating 1000 times a minute. This gets even mo repaid after the hummingbird starts flapping its wings 10-80 beats a second! In addition to buys days, hummingbirds need to keep their body temperature as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit (or 40 degrees Celsius).

Desert Birds: How Do Birds Drink Water? Part 1

Like all animals, birds need water in order to survive. They need even more water than mammals do, to help fuel their energetic flight. So how do birds, especially ones that live in deserts, stay hydrated?

Flightless Birds

Not all birds can fly. Though many people think flying is what defines birds as a group, in actuality several bird species are flightless birds.

The Wonders of Migration

Each autumn, many wild birds make an incredible journey. As the days get colder, and foods like fruit and insects get scarce, they move south to warmer lands (or north if they live in the Southern Hemisphere). This is known as migration.

Amazing Albatross – Birds

Travel far from land, and you may be lucky enough to see an Albatross. These huge seabirds have the longest wings in the bird species world – the Wandering Albatross’ skinny wings reach over 11 feet from tip to tip.

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