Vultures are often depicted as cruel and creepy creatures, feeding on the dead animals left over by other scavengers or killing sick animals nearing death themselves and then consuming them dead. That is, for the most part, the truth. Vultures are scavengers, feeding on deceased animals. They rarely purposefully attack healthy, well-off animals and usually are after already dead ones or one’s nearing the end. But when you depend entirely upon dead meat to survive, there is the question of what the hunting process looks like for vultures. It’s certainly a curious inquiry to see whether it is their olfactory…
Author: Albert
A crucial step to furthering any species is reproduction. A coming together of two (or more, in some species) individuals with a plethora of other rituals and dances to spice things up. One such bird is the wild turkey, which is well-known for its elaborate dances and courtship rituals. But How Do Turkeys Mate? This is opposed to its all-around lesser fun cousin in most aspects, the domesticated turkey, who does not engage in any particular natural rituals. They have a completely different process because of selective breeding done by humans. So today we are going to get up close and…
When the harsh wind and cold of the winter season slowly settle in, most birds make their way southwards before the conditions get too harsh. The cold is a cruel and harsh contender that seeps in through the bones and the birds make their escape fairly quickly. Not all of them, of course, but there is one particular bird who not only stays put at home but also stands for hours on ice without a single care in the world, or so it seems. Even us humans, inside our cozy little houses, bundle up in a variety of blankets, sweaters,…
If you are responsible for and are taking care of chickens, the death of a chicken can be a scary thing. Even if you understand that death is a natural and unfortunate part of life, it is difficult to deal with, especially if it is your first time. But there are certain precautionary measures you must take as soon as you discover the dead chicken in your coop so that you can keep others both safe and/or healthy. Assessing the cause of death itself can be a difficult and seemingly impossible task to do if you do not know what…
If you have ever looked up and seen a group of hawks circling round and round, screeching their heads out, it’s tough to not be absolutely terrified. They truly look like high-school bullies circling around looking for their next victim. But searching and scouring are the obvious but not the only reasons they flock together in such an eerie manner. If you have seen the impeccable feats of movement hawks are capable of during their migrations, it is certainly curious to see how they are able to do for such long periods and high altitudes, without tiring themselves out. Here…
Though the predictability and familiarity in finding a crow perched on your electric line or near your trash cans offer some comfort about life’s permanence. It must also raise the question of ‘Do Crows Migrate In Winter?’ and also ‘Where do they migrate to?’ Migration is one of the truest facts of nature. The habitual movement of a whole group of birds as they depart from the cold places and move to the warm places sets in stone the passing of time. But, in reality, though, not all birds engage in the long-distance migration we associate with them like in…
As the late autumn settles, the trees sport just a few little brown, amber leaves that will fall any minute and the weather gets colder and colder with every passing second. Some birds are making their yearly migrations, soaring through the sky with no abandon. But some others though, prefer to stay put, and maybe a lot more than you think might stay put. One crucial factor that plays into the bird’s decision on whether to stay or to go is the availability of food resources. But as far as we all can see, winter transforms the greenery around us…
We all know the famous saying, all work, and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Well, this might surprise you but it applies to birds as well! Both backyard birds, as well as birds in the thick and wild, enjoy a little time off of their usual routines to engage in some playful mischief and entertainment. From fierce shows of avian aerobatics to fast and enthralling chases to teasing and playing with other fellow birds. A bird’s manifestation of fun shows up in varied and interesting and it brings Avian behaviorists much joy to observe and learn about them…
Eyelashes are both for us – not only are they a mark of beauty and grace, but they are also a very important defense system for one of our most prized and precious organs, our eyes. Eyelashes are our eyes’ first line of defense, protecting them by acting as a filter keeping out stray particles in the air like dust, dirt, lint, and other debris from the soft and delicate tissues of our eyes. If we humans, who mainly inhabit the ground, need much protection from airborne particles, then the need must be twice as much for birds, right? I…
The digestive system of birds compares to humans only to the esophagus. After that, birds possess a variety of different designated areas, where a complex combination of processes work together to break down the food consumed. One such organ in birds is the gizzard also known as the ventriculus or the gastric mill, which is a specialized stomach-like organ found in their digestive tracts that helps them in grinding their food down. Bird’s digestive tract and the processes are fascinating, especially when you look at how different birds utilize what appears to be the same thing in wondrously different ways. …