Which bird is the second heaviest flying bird and the heaviest bird of prey?
The heaviest flying bird is the Somali Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori struthiunculus), native to Africa, weighing about 14-18 kilograms (31-40 pounds). What is the second heaviest bird?
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The Giraffatitan (Giraffatitan brancai) is a large, four-legged sauropod dinosaur in the Brachiosauridae family. Its name means titanic giraffe. It was found in the country that is now Tanzania in Africa.
It lived about 150 million years ago in the Late Jurassic period.
The Giraffatitan walked on four legs, with its front legs longer than its hind (back) legs. The first toe on its front feet, and the first three toes on its hind feet, were clawed. It had a long neck, like a giraffe’s neck. Its tail was also long. It had spatulate, or chisel-shaped, teeth.
It was a herbivore, because it ate plants.
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What does it mean when someone takes something by the scruff of the neck?
The scruff of the neck is the nape—the back part of the neck.
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The Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides) is a large bird with a long neck.
The Swan Goose has greyish-brown upperparts, a maroon cap, and maroon at the back of its neck. Its underwing is black. It has a thin, white stripe surrounding the base of its beak. Its belly and sides are pale with darker streaks. Its beak is black, and its legs and feet are orange. It has maroon-brown eyes. The male and the female look similar, but the male has a longer beak and neck.
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The Lesser Rhea (Rhea pennata) is a large flightless bird. It is also known as Darwin’s Rhea. It cannot fly. Birds that cannot fly are called ratites. The ostrich, kiwi, and cassowary are also ratites.
The Lesser Rhea is emu-like with a body of large fluffy grey or brown spotted feathers, a long neck, and long legs. It has three toes like the emu (the ostrich has two toes). Its toes have sharp claws. Its head, neck, rump, and thighs are feathered. It has a small head and a small beak.
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What are the similarities between the Alexandrine Parakeet (Psitacula eupatria) and the Rose-Ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)?
Both the Alexandrine Parakeet and the Rose-Ringed Parakeet are Asian parrots with mainly green feathers and a thick red beak.
The Alexandrine Parakeet has a red beak with yellow tips, whereas the Rose-Ringed Parakeet doesn’t have a yellow-tipped beak.
The Alexandrine Parakeet has a red patch on its shoulder, whereas the Rose-Ringed Parakeet has no red patch on its shoulder.
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The Greater Rhea (Rhea Americana) is a large bird. It is also known as the American Rhea. It cannot fly. Birds that cannot fly are called ratites. The Ostrich, Kiwi, and Cassowary are also ratites.
The Greater Rhea is emu-like with a body of large fluffy grey or brown feathers, a long neck, and long legs. It has three toes like the emu (the ostrich has two toes). Its head, neck, rump, and thighs are feathered.
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The Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentine) is a freshwater, aquatic reptile. It is also known as the Snapper or the Common Snapping Turtle.
The Snapping Turtle has powerful beak-like jaws. It has a slightly domed, serrated-edged (saw-toothed) upper shell, called a carapace. The lower shell, called the plastron, is narrower than the upper shell. It has a long tail – as long as the upper shell – and a long, snake-like neck. It is mostly greyish-brown. It has stumpy legs with claws, and webbing between the claws, which enable it to walk on land and swim in water. It does not have flippers like the sea turtle.
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The Demoiselle Crane (Grus virgo) is a large bird.
The Demoiselle Crane has a long white neck stripe. The black parts on its front neck stretch down over its chest. It also has long, black tail feathers. It has two long grey legs, a pinkish-grey beak, and large yellow eyes.
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Why do some vultures have a featherless neck – or almost featherless neck?
A vulture’s head and neck are featherless as an adaptation for hygiene.
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The Spot-Billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis) is a large freshwater waterbird. It is also called the Grey Pelican.
The Spot-Billed Pelican is mainly white, with a grey crest and grey back of neck. It has a brownish tail. The feathers on the back of its neck are curly. Its pouch is pinkish-purple with large pale spots. It is also spotted on the sides of its upper mandible (jaw). It has a yellow-orange tip on its beak. It looks similar to the Dalmatian Pelican.
The Black Crowned Crane (Balearica pavonina ceciliae) is a rare bird native to the wetlands of eastern and western Africa. It is a subspecies of the Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum).
The Black Crowned Crane has a black neck, and a white and pink naked (featherless) head. Its wings are mainly white. Its head has a crown of stiff golden feathers. Its cheeks are pinkish-white, and it has a pink throat pouch. Its beak is short and grey, and its legs are black.
What is a ruff?
A ruff is a collar of hair or feathers around the neck of an animal.
What’s the difference between the Chilean Flamingo, Greater Flamingo, and Lessor Flamingo?
The Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis), Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber roseus), and Lessor Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) are large wetland birds with S-shaped necks.
The Chilean Flamingo is from South America, and the Greater and Lesser Flamingo are from east and southern Africa. The Greater and Lesser Flamingo colonies often mix together.
The Chilean Flamingo has a pink body with darker pink wing feathers. The Greater Flamingo has a white or pale-pink body with black flight feathers. The Lesser Flamingo has a rose-pink to white body with black flight feathers.
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The Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) is a large bird from east and southern Africa.
The Lesser Flamingo has a rose-pink to white body with black flight feathers. It has dark-red legs. Its downward-curved beak is all black. Its neck is long and S-shaped.
The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber roseus) is a large bird from east and southern Africa.
The Greater Flamingo has a white or pale-pink body with black flight feathers. It has pale-pink legs with pink knees and joints. Its downward-curved beak is pale-pink with a black tip. Its neck is long and S-shaped.
The Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) is a large bird from South America.
The Chilean Flamingo has a pink body with darker pink wing feathers. It has greyish legs with pink knees and joints. Its downward-curved beak is cream and black. Its neck is long and S-shaped.
The White Stork (Ciconia ciconia ciconia) is a large common bird in Europe, Asia, southern Africa, and northwest Africa.
The White Stork has white feathers with black flight feather. It has a long neck and long red legs. Its bright red beak is straight and pointed. Its eyes are light brown or grey.
The Great Egret (Ardea alba) is also known as the Common Egret, Large Egret, Great White Egret or Great White Heron. It is a large, common egret found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe. It is a member of the heron family. It is closely related to pelicans.
The African Great Egret (Ardea alba melanorhynchos or Casmerodius albus melanorhynchos) is found in the wetlands of tropical Africa.
The African Great Egret has all white feathers, and a long, thin, yellow beak, which may become darker in the breeding season. It has a fine black line from its beak to beyond its eye (like eye-liner underneath the eye). It has black legs and feet.
The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) is a small, common egret found in Asia, Africa, Europe, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand. It is a member of the heron family.
The African Little Egret (Egretta garzetta garzetta) is found in the wetlands of tropical eastern and southern Africa.
The African Little Egret has all white feathers, and a long, thin, black beak. It has black legs and yellow-soled feet. In the breeding season, it has two long plumes (feathers) on the nape (neck) that form a crest. These plumes are about 15 centimetres (6 inches) long, and are pointed and very narrow.