Animal Group
Birds are warm-blooded animals with feathers, beaks, and wings. Most can fly, but a few like penguins swim instead! Birds live everywhere from the freezing Antarctic to hot tropical jungles.
Birds of prey have sharp eyes, hooked beaks, and powerful claws called talons. They hunt other animals for food. Eagles can spot a rabbit from a mile away! Owls hunt at night using super-sharp hearing.
Waterfowl have webbed feet and waterproof feathers, so they can swim and dive without getting cold. Ducks and geese are waterfowl. They live near ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans.
Some birds cannot fly, but they are great at other things! Ostriches are super-fast runners. Penguins are amazing swimmers. Kiwis dig for worms with their long beaks.
Featured animals: Ostriches, Penguins, Emus, Kiwis, Cassowaries
Perching birds have feet built for gripping branches, even when they sleep. Most songbirds are perching birds. They sing the most beautiful melodies in the bird world.
Featured animals: Robins, Sparrows, Finches, Crows
Parrots have colorful feathers, curved beaks, and can copy human speech! They live in warm tropical forests around the world. Many parrots live more than 50 years.
From tiny hummingbirds that hover like helicopters to flamingos that stand on one leg, birds come in incredible shapes and colors.
Featured animals: Hummingbirds, Flamingos, Pelicans, Cranes, Herons
Birds have lightweight bones full of air pockets, strong chest muscles, and feathers shaped for lift. Their wings push air down so they push themselves up. Pretty amazing!
No! Birds do not have teeth. They swallow food whole or break it apart with their beaks. A special stomach part called a gizzard grinds up the food using tiny rocks the bird swallows.
When a perching bird squats down, special tendons in its legs lock its toes around the branch automatically. The bird can sleep without falling, even in strong winds!
Most baby birds eat what their parents bring them. Some parents drop worms or insects into the babies' wide-open mouths. Some birds, like pigeons, make a special milk-like food in their throat.
Male birds sing to claim their territory and to attract mates. Each kind of bird has its own special song. Some birds learn songs from their parents; others know their song from birth!