That’s Interesting… Did You Know?
1. A bird’s lungs are much more complicated and efficient and take up more space than those of mammals, such as humans. A human’s lungs compose about 1/20 of its body. A bird’s takes up 1/5.
2. Owls cannot swivel their eyes. Instead they move their heads completely around to see straight behind them. They live on every continent except Australia. Soft fringes on their wings make flight essentially silent.
3. Many birds such as starlings, sing notes too high for humans to hear.
4. The type of diet a bird eats in the wild is directly related to the shape of the bird’s beak.
5. The fastest flying bird in a dive is the Peregrine Falcon. It averages speeds of over 110mph (180kmh).
6. The linear line formations of migratory birds are called echelons, with the most common shapes being the “V” or the “J”. A true V-shaped formation is less common than a J-formation. Birds fly in formation a) because it saves energy and b) to facilitate orientation and communication among birds.
"Be like the bird who, pausing in her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing she hath wings." Victor Hugo