Category Amazing Birds

What are the fun facts about Bengal florican?

The Bengal florican, Houbaropsis bengalensis, is a small species of the bustard. Thus, it is also called a Bengal bustard. The Bengal floricans are dimorphic. While males are black and white plumage with buff-brown upperside, the female is larger with a dark brown crown. Also, the legs and feet are yellow while the bill and irides are comparatively darker.  It has two disjunct populations: Houbaropsis bengalensis bengalensis, living in the Terai region of the Indian subcontinent, and Houbaropsis bengalensis blandini, seasonally flooding the Tonle Sap region in Cambodia.

There are less than 1,000 species of Bengal floricans documented around the world. The population of the birds is divided into different fragments – one in the Indian subcontinent and the other in Cambodia. The population is threatened and is tagged as a Critically Endangered species. There are various international conservation management authorities working for protecting and contributing to the threatened birds.

The Bengal florican’s native habitat is grasslands. While the females and males species inhabit the breeding grounds, there is a movement speculated on and off the wintering grounds between the breeding and non-breeding season. The adult male birds migrate away from wet grasslands during the non-breeding season, though the migration is not long distance. The adult males and females move to warmer lowlands during the winter or when their native habitats are flooded. Their movement is also recorded by the satellite. Satellite telemetry and remote sensing help access the distribution, movements, and survival range of the Bengal florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis) to ensure its conservation and management around the world.

Credit : Kidadl

Picture Credit : Google 

Which bird lays the smallest egg?

Weighing as little as two grams, the bee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world and it produces the smallest-known egg weighing half a gram. The smallest egg on record, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was less than 10 mm long and it was laid by a Vervain hummingbird native to Jamaica in 1998. Its appearance and flight style rivals that of some insects, especially bees, for which it gets its name. The Bee Hummingbird is also the bird with the smallest nest in the world, at only 1 inch in diameter and depth. Their eggs are also the smallest bird eggs in the world, measuring a mere 12.5 x 8.5 mm, the size of a coffee bean. A Bee Hummingbird egg is only half the weight of a standard paper clip!

The Bee Hummingbird is a tiny gem and a super brilliant one at that. The males are adorned with a vibrant crown and gorget of fiery reds, oranges and yellows. Its royal-blue back, wings and sides contrast nicely with its shimmering gorget. Females lack the iridescent crown and gorget, but still maintain the beautiful blue back and wings.

Like other hummingbirds, it feeds on nectar and insects. The Bee Hummingbird is a strong flier and very active, visiting up to 1500 flowers a day! It has a fast metabolism, and consumes up to half its own body weight in nectar a day! As it feeds, it picks up pollen on its long, thin bill and transfers it to other flowers, aiding in plant pollination. Endemic to Cuba, the Bee Hummingbird has a patchy distribution on the island. It is most frequently encountered on the extreme western end and in the Zapata Peninsula.

Credit : Whitehawk

Picture Credit : Google 

Can peacocks predict rain?

Have you watched a peacock dance? It is a beautiful sight to behold. We have heard people say that a peacock dance is an indicator of rain. How true is this? Sadly, the reality is not as cool as it sounds. The male of the Indian peafowl species is called the peacock. (The female is called the peahen and the offspring, the peachick). The stunning pattern on their metallic blue-green covert feathers (called a train), and the eye spots are something unique to the Asiatic species. (The Congo peacocks do not have the train nor the eyespots).

A peacock opens its train and dances to attract a peahen. It is part of the courtship ritual, where the male fans his tail displaying the eyespots. Peacocks moult (shed) their train at the end of every breeding season. So, what is the link between rain and their dance? Peafowls breed during the wet or rainy season. Hence, it is only a coincidence if you watched a peacock dance and you witnessed a rain soon after.

Picture Credit : Google 

When was the takahe bird rediscovered?

        The takahe was once thought to be extinct. By 1898, ornithologists had come to the conclusion that the last bird had died due to introduced predators and grazing animals. However, in 1948, a small Population of the bird was discovered in a remote valley in New Zealand.

       The takahe bird is also known as the South Island takahe or notornis. It is a flightless bird, endemic to New Zealand. The Colour of the bird is mainly purple-blue with a greenish tinge on its back and inner wings. It has a broad and powerful bill. Its length is about 63 centimetres and weighs about 2.7 kilograms. Today the species is under Close watch and is managed by the New Zealand Department of Conservation.

Picture Credit : Google

 

Which is the national bird of Nepal?

       Commonly spotted India, the Himalayan monal is the national bird of Nepal.

       The bird has a blue back and green neck. It has other colours too, such as orange and yellow, all shining in metallic splendour.

       The male bird of the Himalayan monal is about 70 centimetres long. The female tends to be shorter in length. Their plumage is not as brilliant as the males; they are streaky brown in appearance.

       As their name suggests these birds are found in the Himalayas especially in the open forests and meadows. They can live in high altitudes even up a height of 4500 metres. They are well adapted to the cold climate and snow.

       Their legs are equipped to dig into the ground through snow. They eat roots, seeds, berries, shoots and invertebrates.

Picture Credit : Google

 

What is special about the Narina trogon bird?

        A reticent and shy bird, the Narina trogon spends much of its time perching motionless in an upright position amongst high branches of trees. They are found in pairs. They relish insects, particularly caterpillars. They usually snatch their prey from a branch and return to their perch to eat.

      It does not socialize much with other birds. The bird is sometimes so absorbed in itself that when it is disturbed, it might just turn around to conceal its crimson belly. Largely green and red in colour, the Narina trogon is a medium-sized bird found across Africa. It is considered of least conservation concern as it is found in abundance.

Picture Credit : Google