Birds info

Birds

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Ducks are aquatic birds, mostly smaller than their relatives like swans and geese, and may be found in both fresh water and sea water. Females are known as duck and males as drake. Drakes have extravagant plumage, but that is moulted in summer to give a more female-like appearance, the "eclipse" plumage. Most of then have a wide flat beak adapted for dredging. The rich green sheen and bright yellow beak of the male is in sharp contrast to its drab female counterpart, with her orange beak and brown plumage. They feed on grasses, aquatic plants, fish, insects, small amphibians, worms, and small mollusks. Diving ducks and sea ducks forage deep underwater while Dabbling ducks feed on the surface of water or on land. Dabbling ducks have in their beaks special plates called lamellae. These tiny rows of plates along the inside of the beak let them filter water out of the side of their beaks and keep food inside. Diving ducks are heavier than dabbling ducks, and therefore have more difficulty taking off to fly. Many species of ducks are temporarily flightless while moulting i.e after routine shedding of old feathers; they seek out protected habitat with good food supplies during this period. They are hunted for food, sports and farming.

Facts:

1. Females are known as duck and males as drake, babies are called ducklings. 
2. They are found in both fresh water and sea water. 
3. Black duck males and females are very similar in coloring, except that the males' feet turn bright red and their beaks yellow, during the breeding season. 
4. They feed on grasses, aquatic plants, fish, insects, small amphibians, worms, and small molluscs. 
5. Ducks are hunted for food, sports and farming. 
6. Ducks have no blood vessels or nerves in their feet, so they can't feel cold even in frigid water. 
7. Ducks are related to geese and swans. The duck is the smallest of them all and have shorter necks and wings and a stout body. Ducks can live from 2-12 years, depending on the species. 
8. Ducks have webbed feet, which act like paddles. 
9. Ducks are economical as they provide us with eggs, meat and feathers. 
10. Their feathers are waterproof. There is a special gland that produces oil near the tail that spreads and covers the outer coat of feathers. Beneath this waterproof layer are fluffy and soft feathers to keep the duck warm. 
11. The weight of adult drake (the male) is 9 lbs and of adult duck (the female) is 8 lbs. 
12. They adapt very easily to different climates, and are found throughout the United States.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

    

    
                Great Hornbill
    
    
    Located
    
    

    The Great Hornbill can be found in India, parts of China, countries in southeastern Asia including Thailand, as well as Indonesia and Malaysia.
    

    
    Diet
    

    The primary food of the diet of the Great Hornbill is fruit.  It will also eat insects, lizards, snakes and small mammals.  Like other birds, they likely play a part in "gardening" the rainforest by eating fruit and then dispersing the seeds of the fruit across the rainforest in their dung.
    
    

    Habitat
    

    The habitat of the Great Hornbill is high in the canopy of the rainforest.  They can find shelter in the holes of the trees, and may cover large areas of the forest in a single day in search of food.
    

    
    Size and Description
    

    The Great Hornbill is one of the largest members of the Hornbill family.  It can weigh between 5.5 - 7 pounds, with males being larger than females.  Its can reach between 2.5 - 3.5 feet in length.  The most noticeable feature of the Great Hornbill is the large casque that rests on top of its beak and forehead.  The casque is not heavy as it appears but rather it is quite light as it is made of hollow cells supported by thin walls.  The casque is believed to act as an amplification chamber for the bird's loud calls.  The body of the bird is covered with mostly black feathers, and there are white feathers on the neck, wings and flight feathers.  Some of the feathers appear yellow due to gland oil.  
    

    
    Reproduction
    

    The mating process of the Great Hornbills sometimes begins with males clashing and butting casques in mid-air in order to "win" a mate.  When the female is ready to lay eggs, she will climb into an empty tree hole.  The male will then gather mud and dung pieces, and they will both work together to wall the female in.  While building the wall, the male and female will leave a small opening so that the male will be able to bring the female food while she is incubating and raising the chicks.  This wall will be used as protection against predators.  The female will usually lay one or two eggs in a given clutch.

    
    
    
    
    
    

    

                            Harpy Eagle
    
    
    Located
    
    

    The Harpy Eagle can be found in and near the rainforests of Central and South America.
    

    
    Diet
    

    The diet of the Harpy Eagle consists of sloths, monkeys, and other small mammals.
    
    

    Habitat
    

    The habitat of the harpy is large areas of the rainforest and the clearings next to them.
    

    
    Size
    

    Harpy Eagles will grow to be approximately 35 - 41 inches.
    

    
    Reproduction
    

    The female Harpy Eagle will lay 1 or 2 eggs in a 2 - 3 year timespan.  Only 1 of the eggs hatches and the parents raise the eagle for about 6 months.

    
    
    
    

    

                     Hoatzin
    
    Located
    
    

    Hoatzin are found in South America in the Amazon.
    
    

    Diet
    

    Hoatzin eat leaves and fruit.
    
    

    
    Habitat
    

    Hoatzin live in trees and branches above rivers and marshy areas.
    
    

    
    Size
    

    Adult Hoatzin are approximately 1.5 to 2.5 feet.
    
    

    
    Reproduction
    

    Hoatzin lay approximately 2-3 eggs at a time.

     

     

     

     

    

                  Parrot
    
    
    Located
    
    

    Parrots are located worldwide, usually in tropical areas.
    

    
    Diet
    

    Most parrots eat fruits, nuts and seeds.
    

    
    Habitat
    

    Parrots will nest in trees in tropical and sub-tropical areas.
    

    
    Size
    

    Parrots can be as small as 3 inches and as large as 3 or more feet.**
    

    
    Reproduction
    

    Parrots lay eggs in the holes of trees and sometimes on the ground in holes or cracks.

     

     

    

                  Resplendent Quetzal
    
    Located
    
    

    The Resplendent Quetzal is mostly found in Central America, in countries such as Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama and Guatemala.
    

    
    Diet
    

    The Resplendent Quetzal is omnivorous.  Their favorite foods are fruits that are associated with the avocado family (see picture at right).  They will also dine on insects and small vertebrates such as lizards and frogs.    
    
    

    Habitat
    

    Resplendent Quetzals live in the cloud forests of Central America.  Cloud forests are defined as tropical or subtropical forests, often located in higher altitudes, that have a large amount of cloud cover or low, settling fog.   
    

    
    Size and Description
    

    The Resplendent Quetzal is roughly 14 - 16 inches in length.  Its long train of tail feathers adds an additional 24 - 25 inches.  The Quetzal is a beautiful bird characterized by the aquamarine feathers on its head and body.  In stark contrast to these feathers is the bright red plumage that is found on its breast.  The male is more colorful than the female so that it will be able to attract the attention of the females.  Females are less colorful and do not have a long train of tail feathers.  This helps the female to be less conspicuous and hide from predators.  On the Resplendent Quetzal's head is a small crest of spiked yellow and green feathers.  The eyes are black, and the beaks of males are yellow, while the beaks of females are black.
     
    

    Reproduction
    

    Resplendent Quetzals will usually carve out a nest in a rotten tree, using their beaks to cut out the rotten wood.  Here, the female will lay two or three eggs in a given clutch.  Both male and female will share responsibility in building the nest as well as incubating the eggs.  The incubation period lasts two - three weeks.  
    

    
    Additional Notes
    

    The main threat to the Resplendent Quetzal is degradation of its habitat by human activity.  These activities include farming and capturing the bird for commercial practices.

     

     

     

    

    
                   Southern Cassowary
    
    Located
    
    

    Southern cassowaries can be found in Northern Australia, New Guinea and surrounding islands.
    

    
    Diet
    

    The diet of the southern cassowary consists mainly of fruit.  The cassowary is valuable to the rainforest because they spread the seeds of large fruit after eating the fruit.  After the fruit is initially eaten, the seeds pass through the digestive tract of the cassowary and exit in the dung of the cassowary.  In this respect they have been described as "gardeners of the rainforest".  The cassowary will also consume vegetation, insects and fungi.  
    
    

    Habitat
    

    Cassowaries are true rainforest birds.  They are suited to live in the dense foliage of the rainforest and the low, swampy areas of Northern Australia and New Guinea.
    

    
    Size and Description
    

    Cassowaries are the second heaviest bird on earth second only to the ostrich.  They can weigh up to 130 pounds.  The average height of an adult cassowary is between 4.5 - 6 feet tall.  Both the female and male adult cassowary have the same appearance.  The plumage, or feathers, of the cassowary are black and cover the bird from the neck to the rump.  Like the ostrich, the feathers do not assist the cassowary in flight.  Rather, they offer protection from the elements of the rainforest.  The neck and head are a beautiful, bright blue color.  On the top of the head is a casque, a helmet-like structure that may protect the bird from thorns and branches that could scrape its face.  The feet are equipped with three toes that have sharp claws.  The inner toe has an enlarged claw that is used as protection against potential predators.       
    

    
    Reproduction
    

    The breeding season occurs between June and November.  During this time the female can mate with one or more male cassowaries.  After mating, the female will build a nest out of foliage in a scrape and will lay between 2 - 5 eggs.  The male will then incubate the eggs and remain with the chicks for many months until they are capable of defending themselves.
    

    
    Notes
    

    Although beautiful, the cassowary is potentially dangerous and should not be approached if seen in the wild.
    
    The cassowary, like many other rainforest animals, is threatened by human activity.  This includes hunting and habitat loss due to deforestation.

     

     

    

              Toucan
    
    Located
    
    

    Toucans are located in Central and South America in tropical and sub-tropical rainforests.
    
    

    Diet
    

    Toucans will eat mostly small fruit and sometimes insects.
    

    
    Habitat
    

    Toucans live in holes of hollow trees.
    

    
    Size
    

    Toucans can grow to be about 33 - 65 centimeters in height.*
    

    
    Reproduction
    

    The female Toucan lays about 2 - 4 eggs per year.