10 amazing and strange birds you should know
The animal kingdom is fascinating. Thousands and thousands of species coexist in it, each with unique qualities that they have acquired through adaptation to the environment. In some cases, these adaptations take some of these species to a point of rarity that seems almost like a science fiction movie.
The list of fascinating animals in that regard is so extensive that I could write for weeks. So little by little, we will talk about some of these animals. Today, 10 fascinating and strange birds that you should not miss.
Kakapo
It is a species of parrot endemic to New Zealand that cannot fly. In fact, it is the only parrot that cannot. Due to the absence of predators in their habitat from which to flee, these birds evolved until they lost this capacity and acquired a considerable size (they measure up to 64 cm). They have nocturnal habits and a serious mating problem. The introduction of invasive species by man (such as rats and cats that attack eggs and young) added to the intervals of 2 to 4 years between laying and laying eggs make this animal one of the species in serious danger of extinction on our planet (only 126 living specimens).
Philippine Eagle
It is the largest eagle in the world, endemic to the Philippines, in serious danger of extinction. These animals mainly feed on monkeys and flying lemurs in a curious way: They do not hunt alone and while one member acts as a decoy, the others attack groups of monkeys by surprise. They have long feathers on the head that expand like a crest, which gives them a curious and unique appearance. It is the only bird of prey with blue eyes in the world, with which it can see 8 times the distance a person can see.
Fregata
They are the only seabirds that are sexually dimorphic. Males are much showier than females and have a large red pouch on their neck that they inflate at the mating season to attract females. They are one meter long. Despite being seabirds, they rarely fall into the water. They do not have the ability to take flight from the sea so they use their claws to catch fish by hovering over the surface.
Kiwi
The kiwi is an endemic bird to New Zealand that cannot fly (they are running birds). The main characteristic of these animals is that they occupy the ecological niche that in other places they belong to mammals. In addition, they share similar characteristics with these in adaptation to the environment and evolution, such as hair-like feathers or nostrils at the end of the beak. Another amazing quality is that they lay extremely large eggs for their size. These birds are threatened and their main causes are stoats, dogs, and other invasive species introduced by man.
Podengo of Ceylon
It is an expert bird in camouflage. Its color and ability to remain completely still make it one more trunk of the environment. They have a head as wide as the body and a huge mouth. They are nocturnal birds that go unnoticed during the day. They produce a series of very curious and characteristic sounds of the species that in the case of the female end with a kind of hiccup. They live in southern India and Sri Lanka.
Helm hornbill
These birds are extremely curious because of their appearance. They have a bulge on their solid beaks of a material similar to ivory. Other species of hornbills have these hollow "hooves" and are smaller in size. The helmeted hornbill is the largest species of all. In addition, they have an uncovered neck with deep red feathers in males and turquoise in females.
Shoebill
It is one of the tallest birds on the planet (more than 1.5 m high) and prehistoric in appearance. It lives in African swamps and is in serious danger of extinction. Its endearing appearance is reminiscent of a puppet of the late Jim Henson, but behind it hides an extremely aggressive bird with other animals, including its brothers. The females usually lay two eggs, and from the two hatched chicks, trifurcates emerge as they grow, where the loser is abandoned by the mother to fate and subsequent death of her.
Potoo
They are nocturnal animals with a plumage that gives them the appearance of a tree trunk during the day. They have a very small beak but their mouth is extremely wide, which helps them catch moths and other insects at night. They do not build nests, but lay their eggs on branches or broken trunks, although the main rarity of these animals is the appearance that their yellow eyes give them. When these are open, the animal takes on a comical and terrifying aspect that cannot help but attract attention.
Cassowary
It is the second-largest bird on the planet after the ostrich and the most dangerous of all. It has powerful claws with which it attacks when threatened. Its appearance is extremely curious and primitive. It has very bright and strange colors on its head and neck that change according to its mood, a helmet on its head, feathers like hair on its body, tiny wings that it does not use, and large legs. They are very fast and are the birds that emit sounds of lower frequency (sometimes not perceptible to the human ear). They do not have a tongue, they are solitary and it is the closest living animal to the extinct dinosaurs.
Housing
These birds have no genetic relatives and are extremely peculiar. From birth to adulthood they have claws on the tips of their wings that they use to climb among the vegetation where they live. It is one of the few strictly herbivorous birds that exist and the only one with a digestive system similar to cattle. They spend hours perched digesting their food and the large size of their stomach makes it very difficult for them to fly. Another curious fact is that the young can swim when they are launched from the branches to avoid danger and to climb again later. Adults cannot swim.
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