Modern birds evolved from a group of two-legged dinosaurs known as theropods over 150 million years ago.
Hummingbirds are the only birds that can hover in place and fly backward due to their unique wing structure.
Despite having wings, penguins are flightless birds adapted for swimming, using their wings like flippers.
Arctic terns travel from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back each year, covering around 44,000 miles.
Ostriches can reach up to 9 feet tall and weigh over 300 pounds, making them the largest living birds.
Parrots, especially African grey parrots, are known for their ability to mimic human voices and sounds.
The bones of birds are hollow to reduce weight, which helps them fly more efficiently.
Found in Cuba, the bee hummingbird measures just 2.2 inches and weighs less than a dime.
Birds often have superior eyesight compared to humans, with some able to see ultraviolet light.
Flamingos turn pink because of the carotenoid pigments in the algae and shrimp they eat.
This incredibly fast heart rate supports their high metabolism and rapid wing movements.
Species like the frigatebird can sleep in short bursts while gliding long distances.
This is to attract mates, while females tend to have duller plumage for better camouflage while nesting.
Many migratory birds have magnetoreception, allowing them to sense Earth's magnetic fields.
This Australian bird is one of the best mimics in the animal kingdom.
Their skulls are adapted to prevent brain damage while pecking trees at high speed.
This ability compensates for their fixed eye sockets and helps them see in all directions.
Instead, they have beaks adapted to their diet, from tearing meat to cracking seeds.
Studies have shown that pigeons pass the mirror test, indicating self-awareness.
Birds of paradise perform elaborate courtship dances and display vibrant feathers to impress females.
Crows can use tools, solve puzzles, and even remember human faces for years.
The collective noun highlights their colorful and striking group appearance.
A kiwi egg can weigh up to 20% of the female’s body weight — the largest egg-to-body ratio in birds.
Moulting helps birds maintain healthy plumage for flight and insulation.
While many species migrate seasonally, some birds like cardinals and pigeons stay in one region year-round.
It uses dynamic soaring to glide efficiently across ocean winds.
These desert birds are built for speed and rarely fly, preferring to sprint on land.
Their lungs and air sacs allow for a continuous flow of oxygen during both inhalation and exhalation.
Research has shown that ravens can delay gratification and use tools, similar to primates.
Species like New Caledonian crows fashion sticks to extract insects from tree bark.
It can weigh up to 44 pounds and still manage short bursts of flight.
Songbirds can learn hundreds of different sounds and use them in intricate vocal patterns.
Due to its unique digestive system, the hoatzin emits a foul odor similar to cow dung.
Killdeer birds pretend to have a broken wing to lure predators away from their nests.
This large African bird hunts on foot and delivers fatal blows to venomous snakes.
Some are barbed, forked, or bristled depending on feeding habits.
Oilbirds and swiftlets use echolocation to navigate dark caves.
Swifts eat, sleep, and even mate while flying, landing only to nest.
They maintain a constant internal temperature, regardless of the environment.
The same protein found in human hair and nails forms bird feathers.
This camouflages them from predators and helps with identification.
It has dagger-like claws and can inflict serious injuries if threatened.
They use their beaks to spread oil and remove dirt and parasites.
They have special glands to excrete salt through their nostrils.
Alarm calls differ depending on the predator's type or distance.
Some lay eggs in tree hollows, caves, or on bare ground.
Soaring, gliding, or hovering requires different wing shapes and sizes.
It lived about 150 million years ago and had feathers and wings but also dinosaur-like features.
They use stars, landmarks, and Earth's magnetic field for navigation.
This poetic term reflects their wise and mysterious image in folklore.
They can distinguish their calls from others in dense forests or flocks.
It has white feathers on its head that contrast with its dark body.
It can dive at speeds of over 240 mph during a hunting stoop.
The bearded vulture drops bones from great heights to crack them open and eat the marrow.
They use their keen sense of smell to find carrion quickly.
They evolved flight adaptations long before bats or pterosaurs.
This sense helps them navigate long migrations across continents.
He decorates them with colorful objects to impress females.
They can rest one hemisphere of the brain while staying alert with the other.
It can span over 11 feet, ideal for long-distance gliding over oceans.
Feather puffing, wing spreading, and head bobbing convey messages.
Its appearance in North America signals the end of winter and start of nesting season.
They fiercely defend their nesting territory from intruders.
Their feather patterns blend perfectly with forest floors and leaves.
Their long, sharp beaks help them dive and catch fish with precision.
Helpers from previous broods assist parents in raising new chicks.
There are over 25 billion chickens worldwide — more than any other bird species.
This parasitic behavior ensures their chicks are raised by host parents.
They can live 50–70 years in captivity and decades in the wild.
Ravens and parrots have been seen sliding on snow, playing with objects, and even teasing other animals.
They clean up dead animals, preventing the spread of disease.
They carried vital messages during both World Wars due to their homing ability.
Regardless of species, young birds go by the general term "chicks."
They travel vast distances depending on prey availability.
They beat faster than most mammals and are built for endurance.
This large bird has a prehistoric appearance and stands motionless while hunting.
This helps them spot food, mates, and even urine trails of prey.
It molts into a bright yellow in summer and a duller shade in winter.
Crows have been observed gathering around dead companions, suggesting social awareness.
Dust bathing helps remove parasites and excess oil from feathers.
Some species, like storks, make bill-clattering noises instead of vocal sounds.
They are as large as a grizzly bear's claws and can crush bones.
This shy, flightless bird uses its strong sense of smell to forage at night.
Feathered flight evolved in several lineages during the age of dinosaurs.
Gannets plunge from 100 feet into water at high speed to catch fish.
They form attachments to the first moving object they see, often their parents.
Grebes construct buoyant nests on water using aquatic vegetation.
Pairs like lovebirds and swans often stay together throughout their lifespan.
From Arctic terns to tropical parrots, birds live in diverse environments across the globe.