Fun Bird Facts

In The Adventures of Mo, several different kinds of birds are mentioned in various chapters. Take chapter 2: Mo, an American Eskimo dog, meets Finchy, a beautiful black and yellow bird, that quickly becomes his best friend and travels with him to every state in the country to find the owner of a lost key who lives in Florida. 

Just like Finchy, finches are social and among the smallest birds on the planet. They are known for their singing, although you can’t stream any of their songs – yet. In chapter 32, Mo and Finchy also make friends with three finches with special talent. These sisters sing and dance. 

Finches mainly eat seeds, nuts, fruits, and of course, worms! There are roughly 17 different types throughout North America. I’ll bet Finchy would be thrilled to learn that he has many relatives throughout the country!

In chapter 47, Mo and Finchy meet a group of dancing cranes. Like people, these birds use body language to communicate with each other. They dance to find a mate, strengthen the bond with their mate, or express aggressive emotions when protecting their space or territory. Their dance begins with a graceful bow, followed by a piercing call, which attracts other cranes. They outstretch their neck and wings high above their body and leap into the air. Their feet barely touch the ground. They are elegant performers.

There are more than 1,100 different species of birds just in the US and approximately 10,000 throughout the world. But through evolution, did you know that more than 120 birds have lost their ability to fly? Here are three birds that cannot soar across the open skies:

• Ostriches: As the largest living bird, they can grow up to nine feet tall and weigh 300 pounds. Their super-size would make it hard for them to fly. Instead, they can run up to 45 mph. They also have the largest eyes of any land animal, which are roughly the size of a ball used in various games called billiards.
• Penguins: Although there are 18 different species of penguins, not one of them can fly. They use their wings as flippers to help them swim quickly through the water and avoid being the next meal for a seal, sea lion, or shark. But they are cute and are especially known for their adorable waddle when they move their plump bodies back and forth across the ground.
• Kiwis: As the national bird of New Zealand, kiwis share the same name with a fuzzy fruit that’s brown and green. These birds have nostrils at the end of their very long beaks to help them navigate in the dark. Surprisingly, they don’t have a tail. Their wings, which are only one inch long and hidden under their feathers, are useless for flying.

Each species is unique in its own way. Consider ducks: they sleep with one eye open to avoid sneak attacks from predators. The average hummingbird weighs less than a nickel. Scientists don’t know why cardinals and other birds sometimes cover themselves with crushed or living ants. Yuck!

Likewise, woodpeckers may be a tree’s best friend. Once they hear the sounds of insects gnawing or moving inside a tree, they firmly grip the tree trunk with their strong claws and start hammering the tree’s bark with their beak. Once they break through the bark to the inside of the tree, they use their long, sticky tongue to catch ants and other insects, which make tasty treats. Surprisingly, the bark quickly heals. The trees are not injured. Just the opposite happens. Woodpeckers end up saving trees from injuries caused by insects. 

In chapter 13, Mo and Finchy meet chickens named Buttercup and Princess. As short-winged birds, chickens can fly up to 10-15 feet high and travel up to 50-100 feet. Surprised? Me, too. 

One question I always had that no one could answer was why some chicken eggs are brown while others are white. They taste the same and have the same nutritional value, so is there a difference between the two colors? As it turns out, there’s no mystery. The breed of the chicken and/or color of a hen’s earlobe determines eggshell color. Generally, hens with white earlobes lay white eggs while hens with brown earlobes lay brown eggs.

Another bird, the albatross, can sleep while it flies. It dozes off while cruising at 25 mph. Ever wonder why owls can rotate their heads? Since they can’t move their eyes, their head rotates 270 degrees or three-quarters of a circle. Their expanded vision helps protect them from predators that may be behind them. Would you like to be able to see behind you? 

Regardless of the species, all birds are beautiful animals, many with striking colors. Unlike humans, they never worry about their appearance. They don’t wear makeup or spend a fortune on designer clothes or jewelry. They always look good, even after a poor night’s sleep on a tree branch.

Do you know something unusual about a bird? Or if you have a pet bird, email us about what makes your bird so funny, different or amazing and we’ll publish it along with your name, age and name of your state.