Information About Wild Birds

Birds in the wild face many challenges from their environment.

Birds are the only animals that have feathers, and some of those feathered creatures are brilliantly colored. The University of California's Museum of Paleontology says they reproduce by laying eggs and brooding their young until they hatch. Most birds fly. Some spend their entire lives in one small geographical area, while others are migratory, often flying great distances from season to season. Birds are useful in assisting plant pollination and controlling the insect population. The study of birds is called ornithology, and the scientists who study them are called ornithologists.

Taxonomy of Birds

This swan belongs to the Family: Anatidae, Subfamily: Anserinae and Genus: Cygnus.

Wildbirds.com explains that taxonomy is the classification of all living things. Birds are classified in the Kingdom Animalia, the Phylum Chordata, and the Class Aves. Further categorizing depends on the individual characteristics of birds or groups of birds. Bird classification is a fluid and flexible endeavor, changing as new information is made available. Lumping occurs when two species of birds are combined into one, for classification purposes; and splitting occurs when a single species is reclassified into more than one species.

Migration

The loon prefers to migrate in the daytime.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service admits that it's not clear exactly what the impetus is for birds to migrate, but ornithologists and other scientists have discovered a lot about the habits of migratory birds. Some birds migrate at a predictable time of day or a predictable time of year, while others are more random. Daytime migrators include loons, hawks and pelicans. Night fliers include shorebirds, thrushes and orioles. Shorebirds will start their journey in July, while Snowy owls wait until winter is virtually upon them. Certain kinds of quails, woodpeckers and wrens do not migrate at all.

Non-flying Birds

The Ostrich cannot fly.

The largest of all birds, the ostrich, cannot fly; nor can the Emperor penguin of Antarctica, the kiwi of New Zealand or the cassowary of Australia. The extinct dodo bird was also flightless. According to Boston University, birds that cannot fly tend to have shorter wings relative to their bodies, and a flat breastbone as opposed to a rounded one. The penguin has flippers instead of wings. Since these birds cannot fly away for protection, they have developed kicking and running as defenses. The penguin is protected, because its harsh environment keeps predators away.

Endangered Birds

The bald eagle is on the endangered species list.

Pollution, loss of habitat and overkill threaten to render some species of birds extinct. To prevent the loss of bird species, as well as other animal and plant species, the United States enacted the Endangered Species Act. The act provides that a list of those species that are endangered be maintained and addresses the prevention and the recovery of those species. The Environmental Protection Agency implements the ESA with the Endangered Species Protection Program, or ESPP. Birdnet's charts show that just under a hundred birds appear on the endangered or threatened species list for the United States; including the bald eagle, wood stork, scrub jay, brown pelican and the coastal California gnatcatcher.

Food

Birds can be fed grains and seeds.

Birds in the wild eat a variety of foods, with diets varying from species to species. Audubon says that cardinals eat grains, seeds and insects. Hummingbirds concentrate on nectar from flowers. The blue jay eschews insects for a diet of nuts and seeds. Penguins eat what they forage from the sea, including fish and squid. Swans eat plants that grow in the water, and owls prey on rodents. Many species enjoy berries that grow in the wild. Bird feeders offer a way to bring wild birds into people's yards. Special mixes of seeds can be purchased for home feeders, giving wild birds nourishment, especially in the winter.

References

• University of California Museum of Paleontology: Aves: Life History and Ecology
• Wildbirds.com: Bird Taxonomy
• Virginia Tech: Publications and Educational Resources: Feeding Wild Birds
• National Geographic: Birding
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Migration of Birds Circular 16

Resources

• American Birding Association
• Environmental Protection Agency: Basics of Bird Conservation in the U.S.
• Boston University College of Arts and Sciences: Trivia: Flightless Birds
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Basic Information About ESPP
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Endangered Species List