How Much Do You Know About Birds?

Birds are warm-blooded. They are not cold-blooded.

Bird bones are hollow. This helps them fly because their bones do not weigh much.

Scientists believe that birds evolved from dinosaurs. Theropod dinosaurs had hollow bones.

Birds are not dumb. In fact, some birds are so smart they are able to use tools.

The bee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world. The bee hummingbird is only about two inches long.

Homing pigeons are used to carry messages. They are specially bred to be able to find their way home.

Bird hearts have four chambers. This is the same as a human.

Although it may seem like most birds live in New York City, most bird species actually live in tropical rainforests. In fact, as many as two-thirds of all bird species live in tropical rainforests.

Birds do not have bladders. Their waste is mixed together and excreted at the same time.

Compared to humans, birds have larger lungs. In humans, the lungs take up roughly five percent of the body; in birds, the lungs take up roughly 20% of the body.

Owls swivel their necks completely around to see things behind them. This is because owls can't swivel their eyes.

In the U.S., cats kill as many as four billion birds every year. So, yes, your fluffy cat really does want to go outside and bring back a bird for dinner.

The hummingbird is the only bird that can fly backward. The bee hummingbird is only about two inches long.

Coal miners used canaries to check for dangerous gases. This is where the saying "canary in a coal mine" came from.

A pelican's beak can hold up to 2.5 gallons of water. The pouch contracts to push out the water before the pelican swallows its prey.

Bird's legs bend backward at the ankle. It looks like the knee, doesn't it?

The ostrich lays the biggest eggs. Ostrich eggs weigh as much as three pounds.

The hummingbird has only about 1,000 feathers. This is because its body is so small. Bigger birds have more feathers.

The malleefowl lays its eggs in compost. The heat from the compost helps keep the eggs warm.

Weaverbirds may live in huge nests with up to 400 other birds. The nests are so large that they can weigh up to several tons.

Flamingos are not born pink. They turn pink because of the amount of beta carotene in their diets.

The Andean condor is the heaviest bird of prey. The Andean condor can weigh almost 30 pounds.

The wandering albatross can live up to 80 years. In general, the larger the bird, the longer it lives.

The bee hummingbird lays the smallest eggs. Bee hummingbird eggs weigh only 0.02 ounces.

The Gentoo penguin can swim faster than 20 miles per hour. The Emperor penguin can stay underwater the longest.

The arctic tern migrates more than 25,000 miles every year. The tern migrates from the arctic to the antarctic every year.

The albatross has the greatest wingspan. The wings of an albatross can span almost 12 feet wide.

The Griffon vulture can fly the highest. The Griffon vulture has been spotted at elevations of almost 7 miles.

Ostrich females willing tend other ostrich females' eggs. They are the only birds to do so.

The elephant bird is the biggest bird to ever exist. It is extinct, but it is though to have weighed as much as 1,000 pounds.

The emperor penguin is the only bird to lay its eggs in the winter. The hatchlings need more time to grow strong enough to survive the next winter.

The peregrine falcon can dive at speeds of more than 180 mph. Their prey doesn't stand a chance.

The oilbird is the only bird to use echolocation, like bats. The oilbird is also the only nocturnal, fruit-eating bird.

A group of flamingos is called a flamboyance. A group of crows is called a murder. A group of owls is called a parliament.