Tag: feathers

  • Conservation of the Honduran Emerald Hummingbird

    There are more than 338 recorded hummingbird species worldwide, and many birding enthusiasts would agree that they are top of the list as the most interesting little birds of the nearly 10,000 ...

  • Feathers, Fashion and Conservation

    Chosen in 1953 as the symbol of the National Audubon Society in the United States, the Great Egret (Ardea Alba) represents an inspiring conservation success story. Had it not been for the ...

  • Game Birds Losing Feathers

    Winter is setting in, and you absolutely do not know what to do. Your quail and pheasants have lost feathers and you don’t want them to get chilled. What do you do?

  • Secrets of a Bird of Paradise

    Any bird watching enthusiast would agree that watching a male bird of paradise Lawes's parotia trying to gain the interest of a female is a breathtaking experience. Its colorful chest, displayed ...

  • A Bird’s Touch

    Nature not only surrounds us with sheer beauty but also offers an abundance of fascinating new discoveries that continue to amaze us. Just when we think we know everything about an animal or ...

  • Feather Degrading Bacteria Studied

    The existence of feather degrading bacteria in wild birds was only discovered for the first time approximately ten years ago. This natural phenomenon has therefore been plaguing ornithologists ...

  • New Discovery Sheds Light on Bird Evolution

    Up until a few days ago it was a commonly held belief that modern birds evolved from theropod dinosaurs such as the tyrannosaurus or allosaurus. Now new evidence has been found in favour of the ...

  • Anatomy

    Feathers are the most unique aspect of a bird’s anatomy. The feathers of a bird are made up of keratin, which is the same substance that hair, hooves and beaks are made of. The shaft, or center spine, of the feather is stiff and the tip is flexible for flight. The barbs of the feather […]

  • Evolution

    Scientists theorize that birds evolved from dinosaurs. This theory for the evolution of birds was brought about by the discovery of a fossil species possessing feathers. This fossil species called Archaeopteryx lithographica dates back to 150 million years ago and is thought to have evolved from dinosaurs called theropods. Archaeopteryx lithographica had two strong legs […]

  • Grooming

    Birds in the wild with take care of their own grooming needs. However, your pet bird will require some assistance from you. Birds will keep their feathers in good condition by preening. Preening is the process whereby birds keep their feathers smooth by running their feathers through their beaks thus “zipping” the sections on the […]

Birds