Birds

Moth that drinks bird tears

December 7th, 2009

Hemiceratoides hieroglyphica

Tears have several important functions. In all land animals, they clean and lubricate the eyes. And in some places, they are also a source of nutrition. A German scientist has discovered that a moth on the island of Madagascar drinks the tears of sleeping birds.

The moth (Hemiceratoides hieroglyphica) is about 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) long and has a proboscis about half that length. A proboscis is a tubelike structure that moths and butterflies use like a drinking straw to sip nectar and other liquids. The Madagascar moth uses its proboscis to suck tears.

Source: Current Science, a Weekly Reader publication, March 16, 2007

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Posted in Awesome, Birds, Insects

Albatross chicks choking on plastic on Midwat Atoll

November 6th, 2009

Albatross chicks choking on plastic on Midway Atoll

These photographs of albatross chicks were made just a few weeks ago on Midway Atoll, a tiny stretch of sand and coral near the middle of the North Pacific. The nesting babies are fed bellies-full of plastic by their parents, who soar out over the vast polluted ocean collecting what looks to them like food to bring back to their young. On this diet of human trash, every year tens of thousands of albatross chicks die on Midway from starvation, toxicity, and choking.

See the rest

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Posted in Birds, Sustainability

Why the toucan’s bill is incredibly large

July 23rd, 2009

It has alway been a mystery as to why the toucan has such an enormous beak. Now researches published their research in the journal Science – they believe that the toucan uses its large beak to stay cool. Using infrared cameras, they showed the bird “dumping the heat from its body into its bill, helping it to regulate its body temperature”.

Toucan’s beak takes up 1/3 of its body length – the largest amongst birds.

Read the rest of the article or learn more about toucans.

Toucan, the largest-billed bird

Toucan, the largest-billed bird

Source: Rebecca Morelle . “Hot secret behind toucan’s bill” BBC News Jul. 2009
Photo: Jon Hanson

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Posted in Birds

Endangered species capital of the world

July 22nd, 2009

Hawaii is the endangered species capital of the world. With 100s of plants and animals listed as Endangered or Threatened, there are more endangered species per square mile on these islands than any other place on the planet. Occupying just 0.2% of the total land area of the United States, Hawaii is both the endangered species capital of the world and the extinction capital of the United States with over 72% of our country’s extirpated species. The islands are in the midst of an ecological catastrophe and the world is losing one of its great biological masterpieces.

The Hawaii Biological Survey compiles information on all of these species.

Endangered species capital of the world - Hawaii

Endangered species capital of the world - Hawaii

Source: The Hawaii Biological Survey

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Posted in Animal Kingdom, Birds, Conservation, Places, Plant Life, Rivers & Oceans

A bird with the longest tongue

July 21st, 2009

Like most woodpeckers, wrynecks have long tongues which they use to extract their insect prey. Wryneck’s tongue is measured at two-thirds of its body length excluding the tail.

A bird with the longest tongue, Wryneck

A bird with the longest tongue, Wryneck

Source: Terres, J K. 1995. The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. Wing Books, New York, NY

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Posted in Birds