About Bird

Penguins - Sphenisciformes

By Laura Klappenbach, About.com 

Penguins - Order Sphenisciformes

Photos © Shutterstock.

Penguins (Sphenisciformes) are flightless birds that have stiff wings and distinct coloration (black or gray feathers on their backs and white feathers on their bellies). Their wing bones are fused to form flipper-like limbs and enable the birds to dive and swim with great skill. Penguins have long bills that are laterally narrow. Their legs are short and positioned at the posterior of ther body. They have four forward pointing toes.

When on land, penguins hop or waddle. Those living in climates where snow persists, often slide quickly on their stomachs and use their wings and feet to direct and propel themselves. When diving underwater, penguins often launch themselves upward out of the water and then dive back beneath the surface. Some species can remain submerged for over 15 minutes at a time.

Habitat:

Southern Hemisphere including oceanic and coastal habitats. Antarctic and Sub Antarctic regions. Coastal South America and southern Africa.

Classification:

Penguins are a group of birds that includes six subgroups and about 18 species. The most diverse of all penguins are the crested penguins, a group that includes the macaroni penguin, Chatham Islands penguin, erect-crested penguin and three species of rockhopper penguins (eastern, western and northern). In addition to crested penguins, other penguin groups include the banded penguins, little penguins brush-tailed penguins, great penguins and megadyptes

.

About Bird

Waterfowl

By Laura Klappenbach, About.com 

Waterfowl - Anseriformes

Photo © Jjohnson61 / Dreamstime.

Waterfowl (Anseriformes) are a group of birds that include screamers, ducks, geese, and swans. There are about 150 species of waterfowl alive today. Waterfowl are so named for their preference for aquatic habitats. Most species live close to freshwater habitats such as lakes, streams or ponds but some species also inhabit marine environments during the non-breeding season.

Waterfowl are medium to large size birds. Their plumage may include subtle variations of gray, brow, black or white. Some waterfowl (notably the screamers) have ornamental feathers on their head and neck while others have brightly colored patches on their secondary feathers (such as blue, green, or copper). The plumage of young waterfowl is often duller than that of adults.

Waterfowl have webbed feet, an adaptation for their aquatic lifestyle which enables them to swim with great efficiency.

Waterfowl are often prey for a variety of predator species including humans, red foxes, coyotes, raccoons and striped skunks. Occasionally, waterfowl may also fall prey to other birds such as American crows, black-billed magpies and owls.

Habitat:

Waterfowl inhabit aquatic habitats such as lakes, streams, ponds, rivers, swamps and marshes. Waterfowl have an almost worldwide distribution. They inhabit all continents except Antarctica. Some waterfowl are more restricted in range. The Anhimidae, for example, are restricted to South America, while the Anseranatidae inhabit only Australia and New Guinea.

Diet:

Waterfowl are herbivorous birds. They feed on a variety of plant material including leaves, stems, grasses, flowers, stems and seeds. Some species eat insects, molluscs, plankton, fish or crustaceans.

Evolution:

The earliest known waterfowl is Vegavis iaai, a bird that lived during the Late Cretaceous. The closest living relatives to Vegavis iaai are ducks, swans and geese.

Classification:

There are three groups of waterfowl, the Anhimidae (screamers), the Anseranatidae (magpie goose) and the Anatidae (geese, swans and ducks)

.

About Bird

Parrots

By Laura Klappenbach, About.com 

Photo © Claudia Uribe / Getty Images.

Parrots (Psittaciformes) are a group of birds that includes lorikeets, cockatiels, cockatoos, parakeets, budgerigars, macaws, broad-tailed parrots and others. There are 353 species of parrots alive today.

Parrots are colorful, sociable birds that in the wild often form large, noisy flocks. Parrots have a large head, curved bill, short neck and narrow, pointed wings. Parrots occur mainly in tropical and subtropical regions although a few species inhabit temperate regions in the Southern Hemisphere. They are most diverse in tropical regions throughout South America, Australia and Asia.

Parrots, like woodpeckers and their relatives, have zygodactyl feet, which means that two of their four toes point forwards and two point backwards. This arrangement is most common in tree-dwelling birds that climb branches and trunks or maneuver through dense foliage.

Most parrots are brightly colored and many have more than one color. Their bright colors, although appearing conspicuous, can serve as camouflage against the bright green, high-contrast backdrop of a tropical forest. Cockatoos, a crested group of parrots, are less colorful but nonetheless striking when compared to other parrots. Cockatoos range in plumage color from white to grey to black.

Parrots are intelligent birds and are capable of imitating a variety of sounds including the human voice.

Parrots, thanks to their gregarious nature, striking plumage and considerable intelligence, are popular as pets around the world. Trapping for the pet trade has become a significant threat to wild parrots. Additionally, habitat destruction and hunting pressure many populations. As a result, nearly one in four species of parrots are threatened in the wild.

Parrots are monogamous and form strong pair bonds that are often sustained even during the non-breeding season. Parrots perform simple courtship displays and will preen each other to maintain the pair bond. Most species nest in cavities such as holes in trees or crevices in rocks and cliffs. Some species (such as the New Zealand ground parrots) nest on the ground while a few species (such as the monk parakeet and some species of lovebirds) nest in trees.

The smallest living parrot is the buff-faced pygmy parrot (which weighs less than half an ounce and measures under 4 inches long). The largest living parrots include the hyacinth macaw (measuring close to 3½feet long) and the kakapo (which weighs almost 9 pounds).

Diet:

Parrots feed almost exclusively on fruit, seeds, nuts, flowers and nectar. Some species occasionally feed on arthropods (such as the larvae of invertebrates) and other small animals (such as snails). Lories, lorikeets, swift parrots and hanging parrots are specialized nectar feeders—their tongues have brush-like tips that enable them to take up nectar easily. The large bill of most parrots enables them to effectively crack open seeds. Many species also use their feet to hold the seed while eating it.

Habitat:

Parrots primarily inhabit tropical and subtropical regions, including areas in Australia, Oceania, Southeast Asia, Central America, South America, Africa as well as some islands in the Caribbean and Pacific.

The Carolina Parakeet once inhabited the temperate forests of North America but was hunted to extinction during the early 1900s.

Classification:

There are three groups of parrots, the cockatoos (Cacatuidae), true parrots (Psittacidae) and New Zealand parrots (Strigopidae). The cockatoos include 21 species recognizable for the elaborate crest of feathers atop their head. Cockatoos tend to be larger than other parrots and somewhat less colorful (mostly black, grey or white with highlights of color on their crest or cheeks or tail). True parrots include 330 species. True parrots lack the crest that cockatoos have and are more brightly colored, with plumage that might include blue, green, turquoise, yellow, black, white or red feathers. The New Zealand parrots include 6 species: 2 species of kakas (North Island kaka and South Island kaka), Norfolk Island kakas, Chatham Island kakas, keas and kakapos

.

About Bird

Albatrosses and Petrels

By Laura Klappenbach, About.com 

Albatrosses and petrels (Procellariiformes), also known as tubenoses, are a group of seabirds that includes 107 species. The tubenoses include diving petrels, gadfly petrels, albatrosses, shearwaters, fulmars and prions. Tube-noses spend most of their time at sea, gliding over the open water and dipping down to snatch a meal of fish, plankton or other small marine animals. Tubenoses, though widespread and known throughout the world's oceans, reach their highest diversity in the oceans around New Zealand.

Tubenoses are colonial birds and return to land only to breed. The breeding sites they select vary between species but in general tubenoses prefer sites on remote islands and on rugged coastal cliffs. Tubenoses are monogamous birds and form long-term bonds between mating pairs.

A unifying characteristic of this group is their nostrils which are enclosed in external tubes that run from the base of their bill towards its tip. Tube-noses can drink seawater. They remove the salt from the water using a special gland located at the base of their bill. The salt waste is excreted through their tubular nostrils.

The largest of all species tubenoses is the wandering albatross, a bird whose wingspan can reach some 12 feet across. The smallest species of tubenose is the least storm petrel, a bird with a wingspan of just over one foot.

Classification:

There are four groups of tubenoses—albatrosses, procellariids, storm-petrels and diving petrels.

Evolution:

Fossil records indicate that tubenoses evolved more than 60 million years ago

.

About Bird

Cuckoos and Turacos

By Laura Klappenbach, About.com 

Cuckoos and turacos - Cuculiformes

Photo © Factumquintus / Wikipedia.

Cuckoos and their allies (Cuculiformes) form a group of birds that includes turacos and their allies, cuckoos, coucals, anis and the hoatzin. Cuculiformes are worldwide in their distribution, although some subgroups are more restricted in range than others.

The classification of cuckoos and their allies is a topic of debate. Experts have suggested that the hoatzin is distinct from others cuculiformes and should be classified in its own group. The same has been suggested for the turacos and their allies.

Cuckoos are medium-sized, slender-bodied birds that feed primarily on insects and insect larvae. Cuckoos inhabit forests and savannas. Cuckoos include roadrunners, koels, malkohas, couas and coucals.

Anis, also known as New World cuckoos, include three species of tropical birds that inhabit the southernmost stretches of Texas, Mexico, Central America and South America. These black-plumed birds differ from cuckoos in that they are not brood parasites.

The hoatzin inhabits swamps, mangroves and wetlands in the Amazon and Orinoco River basins of South America. Hoatzins have a small head, spiky crest and long neck. Thye are about the size of a pheasant and are brown with lighter feathers on their belly and throat.

There are 161 species of cuckoos, turacos and their allies

.

About Bird

Birds

By Laura Klappenbach

Birds - Aves

View bird pictures

Photo © Shutterstock.

Birds (Aves) are a diverse group of vertebrates that evolved from reptiles during the Mesazoic Era about 150 million years ago. Today, an estimated 300 billion birds belonging to more than 9000 species inhabit virtually every terrestrial habitat on the planet. There are even many species of birds that are at home in the water as skilled swimmers and divers. Birds range in size from the massive ostrich to the minute bee hummingbird. They have diversified into a wide variety of forms. Birds possess distinct characteristics that make them one of the most distinguishable group of vertebrates. The following characteristics are unique to birds. Among these are:

• feathers - provide insulation and enable flight; feathers are modifications of a bird's epidermis (outer skin)
• bills - birds do not possess teeth or the heavy jawbones seen in other vertebrates; instead, birds have a pair of toothless mandibles covered with a horny sheath of keratin (also called ramphotheca).
• furcula - also known as the 'wishbone', the furcula is a bone located in the bird's chest that prevents compression of the chest cavity during the downstroke of a wingbeat.

Birds also exhibit the following characteristics:

• Fused bones in pelvis, feet, hands, and head
• Lightweight bones (bones that are either hollow or spongy/strutted)
• No teeth or maxillary bones of the jaw (reduces anterior weight)
• Endothermic
• Possess a four-chambered heart and in general exhibit high metabolic rates
• Produce large, richly provisioned external eggs
• Adept navigational abilities in many species
• Extraordinary communication and song production

About Bird

Facts About Owls

By Laura Klappenbach, About.com 

Saw-whet owl - Aegolius acadicus View owl pictures

Photo © Iculizard /Shutterstock.

Owls are a group of birds known for their distinct calls, nocturnal habits and silent flight. Owls are familiar to many people because they are often depicted in various ways in popular culture. They rank on par with bats and spiders as the most celebrated of Halloween creatures. Owls also appear as wise and noble characters in many children's stories, including Winnie the Pooh, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and Harry Potter. Here we'll go beyond the myths and the stories of owls to explore ten facts about real-world owls

FACT: There are about 205 species of owls.

Owls belong to a group of birds that includes about 205 species. These species are sorted into two basic groups, the barn owls and the true owls.

Barn owls have a heart-shaped face, long legs and powerful talons. Barn owls are medium-sized birds with a wingspan of about 3½ feet. There are 16 species of barn owls, including the greater sooty owl, Australasian grass owl, ashy-faced owl, barn owl and Sulawesi owl.

True owls are more diverse than barn owls, with nearly 190 species in about 23 genera. Some better known true owls include screech owls, horned owls and saw-whet owls. True owls vary in size from the tiny elf owl to the bulky Eurasian eagle owl. True owls have a round facial disc, a short tail and a large head. Their color is muted (consisting of mostly brown, rust, gray, white and black) and their pattern is mottled, helping to conceal them from both predators and prey.

FACT: Owls are predators.

Owls feed on a wide variety of prey. Their main food source consists of small mammals such as mice, squirrels, voles and rabbits. They also supplement their diet by feeding on birds, insects and reptiles. Owls cannot chew their prey since, like all birds, they do not have teeth. Instead, they swallow small prey whole. They must tear larger prey into small pieces before swallowing. They later regurgitate pellets of indigestible material such as bone, fur and feathers.

FACT: Most owls are nocturnal.

Most owls hunt at night and in doing so avoid competition with daytime avian hunters such as hawks and eagles. Although nocturnal feeding is the norm for most owls, some species such as burrowing owls and short-eared owls feed during the day. Still other species, such as pygmy owls, feed at dusk or dawn.

FACT: Owls' eyes are fixed in their sockets.

Owls are unable to move their eyes within their sockets to a great extent, which means they must turn their entire head to see in a different direction. Because owls have forward-facing eyes, they have well-developed binocular vision.

FACT: Many species of owls have special flight feathers adapted for silent flight.

Owls have developed special feather adaptations that enable them to minimize the sound made when flapping their wings. For instance, the leading edges of their primary feathers have a stiff fringes that reduces noise while the trailing edge of their primaries have soft fringes that helps to reduce turbulence. Downy feathers cover the surfaces of the wing to further reduce sound.

FACT: Owls have long been a part of human folklore and legend.

Owls are depicted in cave paintings in France that date back 15,000 to 20,000 years. Owls also appear in Egyptian hieroglyphics. They have held a variety of symbolic roles in culture and have represented misfortune, death, prosperity, and wisdom.

FACT: The tufts of feathers atop some owl's heads, referred to as 'ear tufts' are for display only.

Owls' ears are located on the facial disc behind the eyes and are concealed by feathers. Owls have an acute sense of hearing that helps them locate and capture prey. In some species, the ears are located asymmetrically on either side of the facial disc to enhance their ability to pinpoint the origin of the sounds they hear by sensing the minute difference in the time that sound reaches each ear.

FACT: Owls have strong feet like raptors, with two forward-facing toes and two backward-facing toes.

The structure of an owl's foot is referred to as zygodactyl, which means that tow of the toes face forward while two face backward. This arrangement enables the owls to capture and grasp prey with greater ease. Sometimes, the third toe can be rotated forward into a position occasionally used for perching.

FACT: Owls have a long, hooked bill.

In many species, the bill is partly concealed by feathers so it appears smaller than it actually is. Owls use their sharp bill to tear their food.

FACT: Owls do more than just hoot—they create many different vocalizations.

Owls create a wide variety of sounds or vocalisations. The familiar hoot is usually a territorial declaration, though not all species are able to hoot. Other sounds owls might make include screeches, hisses, and screams. Owl vocalizations are loud and low-pitched. Their cries travel well through the night air, enabling them to locate mates and declare territories despite the darkness

.

About Cat

Cat

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Cat (disambiguation) and Cats (disambiguation).

Domestic cat
Conservation status
Domesticated
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Felidae
Genus:	Felis
Species:	F. catus
Binomial name
Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms
Felis silvestris catus (subjective synonym) Felis catus domestica (invalid junior synonym)

The domestic cat (Felis catus or Felis silvestris catus) is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal. It is often called the house cat 
 when kept as an indoor pet, or simply the cat when there is no need to distinguish it from other 
 felids and felines. Cats are valued by humans for companionship and ability to hunt vermin and 
 household pests. A group of cats is known as either a "Glaring" or "Clowder" of cats.

Cats are similar in anatomy to the other felids, with strong, flexible bodies, quick reflexes, 
sharp retractable claws, and teeth adapted to killing small prey. Cat senses fit a crepuscular and 
predatory ecological niche. Cats can hear sounds too faint or too high in frequency for human ears, 
such as those made by mice and other small game.  They can see in near darkness.  
Like most mammals, cats have poorer color vision and a better sense of smell than humans.

Despite being solitary hunters, cats are a social species, and cat communication includes 

the use of a variety of vocalizations (meowing, purring,trilling, hissing, growling and grunting) 

as well as pheromones and types of cat-specific body language.

Cats have a rapid breeding rate. Under controlled breeding, they can be bred and shown as 
registered pedigree pets, a hobby known as cat fancy. Failure to control the breeding of pet 
cats by spaying and neutering, and the abandonment of former household pets, has resulted 
in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, with a population of up to 60 million of these animals 
in the United States alone, while in Japan they are caught and disposed of.

Since cats were cult animals in ancient Egypt, they were commonly believed to have been 

domesticated there, but there may have been instances of domestication as early as the 
Neolithic.

A genetic study in 2007 revealed that all domestic cats are descended from as few as five 

female African wildcats (Felis silvestris lybica) c. 8000 BCE, in the Middle East. Cats are 
currently the most popular pet in the world, and now found almost everywhere in the world 
where people live.

About Cat

Nomenclature and etymology

The English word cat (Old English catt) is in origin a loanword, introduced to many languages of Europe from Latin cattus and Byzantine Greek κάτια, including Portuguese and Spanish gato,French chat, German Katze, Lithuanian katė and Old Church Slavonic kotka, among others. The ultimate source of the word is Afroasiatic, presumably from Late Egyptian čaute, the feminine of čaus "wildcat". The word was introduced, together with the domestic animal itself, to the Roman Republic by the 1st century BCE. An alternative word with cognates in many languages is English puss (pussycat). Attested only from the 16th century, it may have been introduced from Dutch poes or from Low German puuskatte, related toSwedish kattepus, or Norwegian pus, pusekatt. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it appears to reflect the native Germanic name of the animal.

A group of cats is referred to as a "clowder", a male cat is called a "tom" (or a "gib", if neutered), a female is called a "molly" or (especially among breeders) a "queen", and a pre-pubescent juvenile is referred to as a "kitten". The male progenitor of a cat, especially a pedigreed cat, is its "sire", and its female progenitor is its "dam". In Early Modern English, the word kitten was interchangeable with the now-obsolete word catling.

A pedigreed cat is one whose ancestry is recorded by a cat fancier organization. A purebred cat cat is one whose ancestry contains only individuals of the same breed. Many pedigreed and especially purebred cats are exhibited as show cats. Cats of unrecorded, mixed ancestry are referred to as domestic short-haired ordomestic long-haired cats, by coat type, or commonly as random-bred, moggies (chiefly British)), or (using terms borrowed from dog breeding) mongrels or mutt-cats.

While the African wildcat is the ancestral species from which domestic cats are descended, there are several intermediate stages between domestic pet and pedigree cats on the one hand and those entirely wild animals on the other. The semi-feral cat is a mostly outdoor cat that is not owned by any one individual, but is generally friendly to people and may be fed by several households. Feral cats are associated with human habitation areas and may be fed by people or forage in rubbish, but are wary of human interaction.