FIRST ANIMAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

Buzzard Birds
Picture detective
Take a look through
the bird pages and see if
you can spot who these

body parts belong to.

Orange-flanked
bush robin

Blackbird Parakeets

A world full of birds Macaw

There are almost 10,000 Flamingo
different kinds of birds in the
world. They range from the Turn and
enormous, flightless ostrich, learn
which is taller than a man, to
the bee hummingbird, which Flying mammals:
is smaller than your thumb. pp. 30-31

Turkey Flying insects:
pp. 110-111
Chicken

The whistling swan – it has roughly 25,000! 49

Birds Birds spend much
of their time looking
The world of birds after, or preening, their
feathers to keep them
Only a few animals in the world are
able to fly – insects, bats, and birds. in good condition.
But none of them are more powerful
or skilled than birds. Turn
and learn
Feathers are Feathered friends
made up of Nest-making:
tiny hair-like Birds are the only creatures pp. 54-55
barbs that all that have feathers. They use
mesh together. them to fly and to keep Exotic birds:
warm. Some birds use pp. 72-73
brightly coloured
feathers for display.

A rigid “backbone”,
or quill, runs through
the centre of the wing
feathers, strengthening
them for flying.

Feathers
Different feathers
have different jobs
on a bird.

Outer wing:
strong feathers
to provide power
in flight.

Inner wing: has
smooth and flat feathers
to help in flight.

Tail feather: long and thin
for steering and balancing
during flight.

Body feather: soft and
downy to keep a bird warm.
Some have exotic colours.

50

What is the world’s smallest bird?

The world of birds

Flight By flapping its
wings up and
Birds that can fly have wings and a down, the bird
very light skeleton – many of the bones remains in the air.
are hollow. Their short and compact
bodies also help make them neat fliers.

There are two methods of
flying; flapping, like this

red-tailed minla, and gliding.

Red-tailed minla

Travelling birds

About one-third of
birds spend summer

in one place then
when the winter sets
in they fly thousands of
miles to a warmer spot.
Often they go to exactly the
same places year after year.

Feet Bills Communication
The shape and size of
The shapes of a bird’s bill, or beak, All birds have good hearing
show what they eat. so they can respond to songs
birds’ feet very in from other members of their
Duck: wide and family. Birds are well known
different habitats. flat to tear plants for their tunes, and some,
and filter food like this parrot, even speak.
Eagle foot: birds underwater.
of prey have sharp 51
Woodpecker:
talons to kill and long and hard
grip animals. to chisel into wood
and pick out insects.
Perching foot:
songbirds have three Chaffinch: short and
toes in front and one cone-shaped, ideal for
behind for perching. cracking seeds.

Webbed foot: Heron:
waterfowl have webbed ideal for
feet to help them to stabbing fish
paddle on water. underwater.

Ostrich foot: two
thick toes help this

flightless bird to
run very fast.

The smallest bird in the world is the bee hummingbird.

Birds Fierce competition

Courtship There is often competition between
the males to attract the females, so
At various stages in her life, performances have to be very slick.
a female bird will be on the This female has chosen her mate.
lookout for a mate. Males go
out of their way to impress Crowned cranes
the ladies, often in
spectacular ways.

A good decorator

The male satin bowerbird builds an
avenue of twigs, and at each end he
places a collection of anything he
finds attractive, such as shells,
bones, or berries. The female
picks the bower she finds
the most appealing.

weiSrodme but true

birds of

prey perform amazing

aerobatic displays. The male

and female lock talons

in mid-air and fall

almost to the ground

before swooping

up again.

52 In which season do birds start courting?

Pairing off Courtship
It is important for birds
to find the right partner. Building a home

Peacock: the male The male weaver bird builds
shows off by shaking an incredible nest that hangs
his spectacular tail. from a branch. When a female
passes by, he hangs beneath
Swans: when a male it fluttering his golden wings
and female swan and shrieking to her to join him.
mate, they stay
together for life. Spotted- Foot
backed dance
Pheasant: male weaver
pheasants fight The blue-
aggressively with footed booby
each other for females. has blue feet,
which attracts the
females. When a
male wants a mate,
he dances and lifts
his feet to show

them off.

Once cranes have selected a partner Of the 15 species of
they dance together, then bow, leap, cranes, 11 are either
bounce, and make sudden frantic runs. threatened or in
danger of extinction.
Show off

The male frigate bird has a huge, red
neck pouch, which he inflates with air
when he is looking for a mate. When a
female passes by, he wobbles it around
and makes gobbling noises to impress her.

Birds mostly court each other in the spring. 53

Birds A city in a nest

Nesting Some weavers, called social
weavers, build one huge nest
All birds lay eggs, which
other animals find tasty. to hold lots of birds. This
To keep their eggs only happens in dry
safe, many birds regions, because if it
build nests. got too heavy with
rain it would fall.

Hummingbirds are the
smallest birds in the world.

Weaver
bird

Out of reach Weaver birds go one step Tiny home
further than building nests
The most important in trees; they build them This hummingbird has built
thing about a nest is that hanging down from branches. its nest on a fir cone. Some
no enemies can reach it. For hummingbirds use spiders’
this reason many birds build webs to secure their nests.
their nest in trees.
Which birds are able to tie knots?
54

Nesting

A perfect fit

Round, hollow nests like this are
called cup nests. Birds build them
in trees using twigs, feathers, moss,
and anything else they can find.

When a bird has Pileated
made its nest, it turns woodpecker
around and around
Nests in it until it has made
Some birds go to a perfect hollow.
great lengths to make
amazing-looking nests. Handy holes

Tunnel home: some Hollowed-out trees are
weaver birds build nests good places to keep eggs
with tunnel entrances. safe. Woodpeckers make nests
by chiselling through the wood
In the reeds: the reed with their sharp beaks. The
warbler builds its nest
between thin reeds. following year, birds such
as parrots, may use it.
Mud nest: the domed
ovenbird makes its nest Safety in numbers
entirely out of mud.
Along the west coast of Africa, thousands of cape gannets
Tree trunk: A blue tit
has built this nest in lay their eggs at the same time, right next to each other.
a hollow tree trunk.
This reduces the chances of the eggs being eaten.
Ground eggs

Some birds don’t make nests
at all. Instead, they lay their
eggs on the ground. These
Eurasian oystercatchers’
eggs are camouflaged
against the pebbles.

Eggs Southern
cassowary
Birds’ eggs egg
come in a
The eggs are speckled variety of sizes
and difficult to spot. and colours.

Weaver birds can tie knots. 55

Birds Hatching out

Inside the Making or finding a nest is a lot of work
eggs, each
chick grows for birds, but looking after the eggs
using the
yolk as food. and chicks is even harder! Blue tit
chicks
Nest birds

The mother bird sits on her nest
keeping the eggs warm until they
hatch. When they are born, they 
need constant feeding until they
can look after themselves.

At one day old, After two weeks,
the bald chicks there is barely
are very hungry. enough room to
move. The chicks
At three days old, the chicks are are now ready
demanding constant food. Their bright to fly away.

mouths are easily seen by parents. At nine days,
their feathers are
Baby birds Duckling starting to appear
and the nest is
There are two types of getting crowded.
young bird. Nest birds are
born blind and naked and Waterbirds
depend completely on their
parents. The other type, like Waterbirds are often born on the
ducklings, hatch with open eyes ground rather than in nests, so
and a coat of downy feathers.
they have to be able to get out
of danger quickly. Ducklings
take to water very soon
after hatching.

The chick has an egg It then pushes against both ends
tooth that it uses to and breaks itself out of the egg.
poke through the shell.

Egg Which bird builds the biggest nests in the world?
tooth

56

Hatching out

Swan family

A female swan lays up to eight eggs in a
clutch and only she looks after them. When
the chicks are born, both parents take care
of them for about five months.

These swan chicks catch a ride on their mother’s back. Wren

Feeding frenzy

Both parents help to feed
their chicks. Some can make

up to 1,000 trips a day
between them to bring

back enough food.

Rotten parents The cuckoo
chick is fed
Cuckoos don’t look after by the adopted
their chicks. Instead, the parents, and
female lays her egg in is often bigger
another bird’s nest. When than they are.
it hatches, the
chick kicks out
the other eggs.

The bald eagle. 57

Birds A variety of birds
Members of the
Songbirds songbird family
vary in looks,
Most of the world’s birds are part of habits, and songs.
a huge family known as the songbirds.
They spend a lot of their time in flight. Robin: European
robins are easy to
spot because of their
red tummies.

Blackbird: the blackbird
often sings in the evenings
from a high perch.

Warbler: these birds are
known for their different
songs, including a
scolding song.

Foot perch The short
beak is used
Songbirds, or to crack hard
perchers, all foods, such
have a unique as nutshells.
type of foot,
which helps them Songbirds can sleep Finding food
to grip onto even on twigs and branches
the thinnest branches. without falling off. Like this song thrush, most
Three of their toes songbirds are small, but
point forwards and Blue tit because they use up a lot of
one points backwards. energy flying, they need a lot
of food. They feed on small

insects, worms, and snails.

58

How do songbirds learn how to sing?

Songbirds

Songbird parents feed their chicks
until they are 10–15 days old.

Bird songs

Each species of songbird has its
own special song, using different
notes and rhythms. Most of the
singing is performed by males.

Dawn chorus

In Europe and North America,

male songbirds sing loudly

at dawn to attract females.

Somehow, the females can hear weiTrhde or what ?
and identify the correct tune
among the many melodies. Australian

lyrebird can not only

Safety in flocks imitate other birds’ songs
but also other sounds

Many songbirds live in it hears in the rainforest,
groups, called flocks. They such as chainsaws and 
collect food together and join
forces to fight off bigger birds even camera clicks!

that might eat them. Many songbirds are
small and compact,
with short beaks. Dunnock

By listening to sounds the male parent makes and copying them. 59

Birds Hummingbirds have
long beaks that can
Life in the air poke into flowers to 
sip the nectar.
Some birds are spectacular acrobats.
They are the experts of the air – a few Magenta-throated
can even fly backwards! Many birds woodstar hummingbird
spend most of their lives in the air.

Hummingbirds

These tiny birds beat their wings
in a figure-of-eight pattern. This
means that they can hover and fly
backwards! Smaller species beat
their wings 80 times a second.

Record holder Air acrobats

The smallest bird in the world Swifts, swallows, and
is the bee hummingbird. Found martins have forked tails that
help them to control their flight.
in Cuba, it feeds They can catch insects while they
on nectar from are flying and even swoop down
flowers. Its eggs are
smaller than peas! over water, like this swallow,
and drink without landing.
Bee hummingbird

Some flying insects Swallow

are bigger than the

bee hummingbird.

60 What is unusual about the sword-billed hummingbird?

Life in the air

Nesting

Swifts, such as this
chimney swift, spend
a lot of their time in
the air but they must
land when they are
ready to nest.

Swallows’ nests Swallows have
small beaks, but
Swallows collect mud pellets big mouths to catch
and mould them into cup- insects in mid-air.
shaped nests. These can
often be seen beneath Forked tail
the eaves of buildings.
The parents feed the Turn
chicks by hovering and learn
near them rather
than landing. Other nesting
methods:
Swift pp. 54-55

Nesting
in burrows

Sand martins look
similar to swallows.
They make their nests
by digging burrows
in soft earth along
riverbanks or in cliffs.

The swift

Swifts can spend a lot of time

in the air without landing.

They even sleep on the wing!

It is the only bird whose beak is longer than its body. 61

Birds

Freshwater birds The male mallard
makes a lower pitched
quack than the female,
and whistles as well.

If you search around fresh water Geese
anywhere in the world, you will
Swan

find teams of birds living

on it or near it. Some are

swimmers and others Mallard duck
are waders. (female)

Kingfishers Cygnets Mallard drake

Kingfishers live by (baby swans) (male)
rivers. They perch on
branches above the Waterfowl
water waiting for
fish to swim past. Ducks, geese, and swans are waterfowl. They
When they see
one, they dive! have boat-shaped bodies and webbed feet,

which make them very good swimmers.

When the kingfisher
catches a fish, it flicks
its wings, resurfaces, and
flies away with its dinner.

Bottoms up!

Waterfowl have long bills
with sharp ridges along
them to grip slippery fish.
Mallards often feed by
tipping their heads into
the water to reach plants.

62

How long do herons usually live?

Freshwater birds

Flamingo This stork, with
its hunchback and
bald neck, is often
described as ugly.

Black- Wattled Heron
crowned jacana
night heron

Marabou
stork

Waders Have a stab

Waders have long legs that allow Herons are found living
them to walk in shallow water next to rivers and lakes. They eat
without getting their feathers fish, which they catch by darting
wet. Some also have long necks their “s”-shaped necks forwards
for finding food. at lightning speed and stabbing
the fish with their sharp beaks.

Flamingos Pink flamingos Turn
sleep in and learn
the water, Flamingos live in huge flocks, of
often on sometimes a million birds! Many Migrating birds:
one leg. of them are pink because of the pp. 76-77
tiny shrimps that they eat. Sea birds:
pp. 64-65
Flamingo

Flamingos’ bills act like
sieves to filter out tiny

food from the water.

Herons can live up to 20 years. 63

Birds A life at sea

Sea birds A lot of sea birds, such as this
albatross, have webbed feet that help
Many birds spend
their lives next them swim, and special beaks
to the sea or out to hold slippery fish.
on the open ocean.
Some return to land
only to breed and
raise young.

Webbed feet The albatross has
the largest wingspan
Dramatic divers of any bird

The sea is full of prey and birds have

various ways to catch it. Some chase fish

underwater while others, such as gannets

and boobies, dive down like torpedoes

from the air to snatch them.

Other sea birds Pelican
The coastlines of
the world are always
packed with sea birds.

Herring gull: this bird
is common in Europe
and North America.

Inca tern: this Pelicans A mouthful of fish
bright-beaked bird  also use
lives on the west their large A pelican dives underwater
coast of South America. mouths to and scoops up fish in its large
catch rainwater mouth. It can fit three times
Cormorant: this for drinking. more fish in its mouth pouch
bird can also be
found inland in
Europe, Asia, and Africa.

than in its stomach!

64

How long can birds survive without returning to land?

Cliff birds Sea birds

These black-legged Kittiwakes
kittiwakes, like many
other birds, live in
huge, noisy groups
on cliff faces. They
even nest and lay
their eggs on the
narrow ledges.

A flock of gulls The cliffs are a safe
place to rest, away
Gulls can often be seen in huge
numbers along the seashore. from enemies.
They eat almost anything,
The albatross’ raiding rubbish dumps and
beak is hooked, stealing other birds’ eggs.
with special
ridges to help
it hold onto fish.

Puffins The puffin can
dive to depths
The puffin has of 60 m (200 ft).

webbed feet and

small wings, which

it uses like fins to Puffin

swim, as well as to fly.

It raises its one chick, Turn What a lot of fish!
called a puffling, and learn
in a burrow. Atlantic puffins have large,
colourful beaks. The top bill
The ultimate sea and tongue are ridged with
spikes that enable it to hold
bird – the penguin: lots of fish at one time.

pp. 66-67 65

Some do not return to land for five years!

Birds

In the chill

You have to be pretty tough to The penguin
survive the freezing temperatures
of the Antarctic. But some birds Most penguins, such as these
emperor penguins, live in colonies,
not only survive but thrive which can consist of hundreds
in the chill. of thousands of birds.

Penguins cannot fly
but they sometimes
leap into the water

from icebergs.

Water wings

Penguins may
look clumsy on land
and can’t even make
it into the air, but in

the water they are
master swimmers. They
use their wings as flippers
and their tails and feet to steer.

Keeping warm

To keep them warm in icy water
and in the snow, penguins have
a dense covering of waterproof
feathers and many layers of fat.

Egg

66

How long can a penguin stay underwater?

In the chill

Other snow birds

One of the few birds
that lives and breeds on
Antarctica all year round
is the snow petrel. It is
completely white, which
keeps it hidden in the snow.

Penguins’ feet are positioned Antarctic skua Penguin predators
so far back that when they
stand upright, they have to This Antarctic skua lives on or near the ice
use their tails to balance in Antarctica and nests at the coast. It eats
or they would topple
over backwards. penguin eggs and even baby penguins
if they are left unguarded.

Adult penguins Turn
have white and learn
tummies and dark
backs, which help Flightless birds:
to camouflage pp. 78-79
them in the water.
Other sea birds:
Penguin parents pp. 64-65

King penguins tuck their eggs under their bellies, resting
them on their feet. The parents take turns to look after
their egg. When king penguin chicks are born, they
are covered in brown, downy feathers.

In very cold Slip-sliding around
conditions chicks
and penguins Penguins find it hard to walk,
huddle together so they often slide on their bellies
for warmth. over snow and ice, pushing with
their flippers and feet.
The chicks must be
afedduultn, twilattheeryprgoroofwfeathers

The emperor penguin holds the longest recorded time underwater – 20 minutes. 67

Birds

Birds of prey

With their huge wings, sharp
talons, and hooked beaks, birds
of prey are the hunting kings of
the bird world.

Hunting

Many birds of prey spot
an animal on the ground from
very high up in the air with their
excellent eyesight. They swoop down
and grab it with their sharp talons.

African hawk eagle

Birds of prey Secretary bird Walkabout
are the only
birds that These birds are Secretary birds have
kill with famous for eating incredibly longs legs.
their feet. snakes, which they They rarely fly.
Instead they can
68 kill by stamping be seen taking long
on them. strides across the
grasslands of Africa.
Eagles are the most
powerful of the birds of
prey. They can kill animals
as big as themselves.

Which is the fastest bird of prey?

Red tailed Birds of prey
buzzard
The vulture
A buzzard’s wings are huge,
which means they are fast flyers Vultures are the waste
that can glide and even hover collectors of the world, eating
without flapping their wings. dead animals before they

rot. They very rarely
kill their own food.

Vultures

Vultures are very clean birds.
After eating they will often fly

long distances to
have a bath.

A vulture’s taste The Egyptian vulture loves
ostrich eggs but cannot break
Vultures don’t just eat them with its beak. Instead it
dead animals. This uses a stone to crack the egg.
Egyptian vulture
enjoys eggs as well.

Ostrich The osprey
egg
Ospreys have such good eyesight that
they can spot fish swimming underwater.
They swoop down to the surface and
seize the fish in their talons, often
without landing on the water.

The peregrine falcon – it can dive down towards its prey at 270 kph (168 mph). 69

Birds Owl types
Owls come in lots of
Night flyers sizes and colours and
can be found around
As the sun sets, most birds settle down
for a good night’s sleep. Owls and the world.
nightjars, however, are preparing
for a night of hunting. Great horned owl:
this regal-looking owl
Nightjars has ear tufts or “horns”.

Nightjars rest on Spectacled owl: this
the ground during the owl lives in the South
day. At night they hunt, American rainforest.
plucking insects out of
Snowy owl: this owl
the air as they fly. has extra feathers on its
feet, to keep it warm,
like slippers.

Burrowing owl:
this owl makes its
nest underground.

Barn owl

Hooked Hidden from sight
beaks help
to tear During the day owls sleep,
up food. often in branches of trees.
Their feathers camouflage
Owls
them so well, as on
All owls, these scops owls,
such as this that people
barn owl, hunt in very rarely
darkness and must rely notice them.
on their amazing eyesight
and hearing to help them. Many owls have Owl eggs
velvety fringes are almost
Owls use their sharp around their flight completely
talons to catch and grip feathers that make round.
their wings very
animals that they eat. quiet as they fly
through the air.
70
What is the smallest owl in the world?

Night flyers

Hunting by night In the dark
owls sometimes find
All owls eat small animals. They animals only by the
swoop silently on their victims in sounds they make.
the dark and grab them in
their sharp talons.

Tawny owl

Most owl chicks learn
to fly when they are two

months old. Until then,
they are fed by their parents.

Owls like to eat
animals, such
as mice and
small birds.

Eating

Owls cannot chew so they
swallow their food whole.
When they have digested
the animal, they cough
up the bones and fur
as a small pellet.

If you tear one of these
pellets apart, you can see
the whole skeleton of the
animal it has just eaten.

An owl’s mouth may look quite small Owl pellets Iranian
but it can open very wide indeed. eagle
owl chicks
Owl chicks

Rather than build
nests, owls prefer
to lay their eggs in
holes of some kind –
in trees or buildings.
The male and
female both help
to feed the chicks.

The elf owl – it is only 15 cm (6 in) tall. 71

Birds

Exotic flyers

The toucan uses Tropical rainforests and
its massive bill places with warm climates
to reach for are filled with exotic and
fruits on the tips colourful birds, which
of branches. are often very large.

Although the bill This species of toucan
looks heavy, it lives in the top of the
is hollow and, rainforest canopy.
therefore, very light.
Chestnut-
Toucan eared aracari

Toucans Toucans
have two toes
facing forwards These birds live in the
and two facing South American rainforest and
backwards on
surrounding areas. They are
each foot. famous for their huge bills.

Birds of paradise

These exotic birds are from Papua
New Guinea. This raggiana bird of
paradise is showing off his beautiful
feathers to a female by opening his
wings and shaking them at her.

72

Where do budgerigars live in the wild?

Exotic flyers

The parrot family

Parrots are very colourful and
often very noisy. They are
strong fliers and good climbers.
Parrots include macaws,
budgerigars, lovebirds,
and parakeets.

Rainbow
lorikeet

Crested cockatoos Scarlet
macaw
These parrots, called
cockatoos, have a bright
yellow crest on their head,
which they raise when they
are frightened or angry.

Nuts Lorikeets are the 
about nuts most colourful of all
parrots. They can be
Almost all parrots eat found along the east
fruit, nuts, and seeds. coast of Australia.
They are the only birds
that hold food up to their
mouths using
their feet.

Budgerigars are Turn
popular as pets for and learn
their ability to mimic
sounds and “talk”. Colourful creatures
of the ocean:
pp. 144-151

73
They live in Australia.

Birds Some game birds, like these
chickens, are raised specifically
Game birds
to provide food for humans.

Game birds live most of their lives Hen

on the ground. Most are plump with Cockerel

a small head, short wings, and sturdy, Good-looking males

strong legs. This male common Like most male game birds,
pheasant has a tough, this cockerel is more brightly
Sport hooked beak for digging coloured than the hen. He
up plant roots and uses his fine feathers to
Game birds, such as this insects to eat. attract females.
male common pheasant,

are hunted by humans for Males

sport, which is why they

are called game birds. have bri The tail drags along
ghtl the ground behind
y co the male when not
loured feathers...spread out.

Nesting Some game birds keep
their eggs warm not by
Most game birds nest in shallow sitting on them, but by
holes in the ground. They can burying them underground.
produce more than 20 eggs in one
nest – more than most other birds.
Females are duller in colour than
the males, to camouflage them
against the ground when nesting.

74

Where are wild turkeys commonly found?

Game birds

The peahen chooses Vertical take-off
a peacock as her mate
based entirely on Game birds are
his looks. strong runners and
prefer to run away
from danger rather
than fly. When very

afraid, however,
they are capable of
rocketing upwards
quickly with frantic,
flapping wing beats.

Peahen The peacock
Peacock lifts his tail
and shakes it
at the female.

Reeve’s
pheasant

An amazing tail When they fly upwards
at speed, their wings
The male peacock has the
make a whirring sound
most spectacular tail in the animal world. When that can startle enemies.

he wants to attract attention, he raises it high. This male
ptarmigan is
... that attract females. in its summer
plumage.

Game bird chicks Turn Colour change
escape danger on the and learn
ground because they Not all males
are able to run and fly Courtship displays have bright
between birds: feathers. Both
soon after hatching. pp. 52-53 male and
female willow
Pheasant chicks ptarmigans
change their
colours
throughout the
seasons so they are
always camouflaged.

In the woodlands of the USA. 75

Birds Travelling birds

Globetrotters Birds have different
travel habits. Some fly
The great advantage birds have is non-stop, some rest
that they can fly. This means they on the way.
can choose the warmest part of the
world to live in at any one time. Song thrush: these
small birds are night
Record holder Arctic tern fliers and use the stars
to find their way.
The Arctic tern is the
biggest traveller of all. Buzzard: these
Each year, it flies the birds of prey wait
whole way around the for a warm day and
world from the Arctic glide for long distances.
to the Antarctic and
back again. Sanderling: waders
eat a lot before
Arctic leaving so they
can fly non-stop.
EUROPE
Canada goose: geese
PACIFIC OCEAN NORTH AFRICA Migration are fast fliers, so they use
AMERICA ATLANTIC OCEAN a lot of energy and need
Many birds have to stop frequently to eat.
CENTRAL a summer and
AMERICA a winter home Swan: these birds fly
in different places. by day or night but
SOUTH Their journey from rest if visibility gets poor.
AMERICA one place to another
is called migration. Ruby-throated
hummingbird: this tiny
bird flies non-stop across
the Gulf of Mexico.

To Antarctica

Gaggles of geese

Each winter, tens of thousands of snow geese
leave Canada for a 2,000 km (1,250 miles) trip
to California and Mexico. They follow exactly
the same route each year.

76

What proportion of the world’s birds migrate each year?

Turn Birds of prey Globe trotters
and learn
Hawks, buzzards, and eagles Bald
Waterfowl: from North America fly south eagle
pp. 62-63 to warmer climates as the
Birds of prey winter approaches.
pp. 68-69

galiirdce.urrents

warm
them

e
help
Eagles us to

Knots

Knots leave the Arctic in the autumn and fly
towards South America. They travel over the
3,218 km (2,000 miles) of ocean non-stop.

“V” formation

Many birds fly in a “v”
formation because the bird
in front makes the air easier
to fly through for the
ones behind.

About one third of all birds in the world migrate. 77

Birds

Flightless birds New Zealand birds
There are so few
Some birds cannot fly even though mammals here that some
they have wings. Often, as a result birds have no need to fly.
of this, they become excellent at
running or swimming instead. Kakapo: this flightless
bird is the world’s
The ostrich rarest parrot.
has a long
neck and a Kiwi: the kiwi lives on the
small head. ground. Its feathers are so
small they look like fur.

Takahe: these birds
were almost extinct,
but are slowly
increasing in numbers.

Rapid runners

Ostriches are the fastest bird runners
in the world. In fact they are faster
than racehorses – they can reach
speeds of 75 kph (45 mph).

The ostrich Ostrich

Ostriches are the The ostrich is
world’s largest the only bird
birds. They have in the world
feathers, which look to have only
more like fur, to keep two toes.
them warm. Even
though they can’t fly Moving in flocks
they still have small
wings, which are not Like flying birds, ostriches and emus
used for flying, but may live in large groups, called flocks.
have various other uses
like shading their young. Which bird lays the largest eggs?

78

Flightless wings Flightless birds

One reason birds have wings is to make Penguins
a quick escape from predators. If birds don’t
have predators, they have no need to fly The penguin uses its
and may lose this ability over time. wings as flippers to
“fly” underwater. Its
Flightless birds, like this feathers are short
rhea, have wings that and stiff to help
keep them warm
they don’t use for flying. in cold climates.

Turn Flightless cormorants
and learn
The Galápagos Islands off western
Penguins: South America have no animals
pp. 66-67 that kill birds, so their cormorants
Bird’s eggs: have lost the ability to fly. They
pp. 56-57 have become good swimmers.

Rheas and Rearing rheas
emus have
three large Most birds’ eggs are looked after by their
toes that all mothers, but in the rhea family the father
face forwards. is in charge. He sometimes looks after
up to 60 eggs, all from
different mothers,
in one nest.

Large
flightless
birds have
thick legs,
which help
them to
run fast.

The father looks after the babies
until they are five months old.

The ostrich. 79

Reptiles and amphibians

Reptiles and amphibians

Flying gecko Reptiles and amphibians are the
“cold-blooded” creatures of our
world. Most amphibians, which

include frogs and
toads, live near
water. Reptiles, such
as snakes and lizards,
Baby caiman are found both on
land and in water.

Green tree python Anole lizards

Baby spectacled caiman Cold-blooded

Common snake- Cold-blooded creatures do not have
necked turtle cold blood. Cold-blooded means
they are the same temperature
Common snapping turtle as the air or water around
them. If they are cold, they
Madagascan sunbathe. If hot, they
day gecko seek shade.

Rattlesnake

80

Are snakes reptiles or amphibians?

Green Reptiles have Reptiles and amphibians
anaconda scaly skin.
Picture Detective
Wagler’s Take a look through the
pit viper reptiles and amphibians
pages and see if you can
spot who these skins
belong to.

Ornate
horned toad

Indian starred tortoise European common frog

Diadem
snake

White’s
tree frog

Asian tree toad Turn
and learn
Green
iguana Creatures
with scales:
pp. 142-151

Snakes are reptiles. 81

Reptiles

The world of reptiles

Reptiles are mainly egg-laying Eating habits
animals that have a tough skin
covered in scales. They live Most reptiles are meat-eaters,
on land and in water. apart from tortoises, which move too
slowly to catch fast-moving prey.
The reptile groups Reptiles can Lizards, such as this gecko,
There are four main eat huge can eat half their own weight
groups of reptiles. in insects in one night.
meals, then
go without All reptiles shed
food for days. their skin from
time to time.
The tortoise family: Most reptiles,
these reptiles all have like this lizard, Flying gecko
a shell over their bodies.
swing their Hot and cold
Snakes and lizards: bodies from
the majority of reptiles side to side Reptiles have scales,
fall into this group. when walking. which can control how
much water they lose
The crocodile family: through their skin. This
this group are the giants means they can live in
of the reptile world. dry places. They are,
however, cold–blooded,
Tuataras: these reptiles and so rely on the
are very rare and look climate to keep their
a bit like lizards. bodies warm.

European
eyed lizard

Reptile babies

Nearly all reptiles lay

eggs, which hatch into

miniature versions of

their parents. However,

a few, such as this

slow worm, give

birth to live young. This lizard, which lives in the desert,

82 basks on rocks to warm up its body.

What is the longest snake in the world?

Tuataras live in The world of reptiles
burrows and hunt
at night. They can Living fossils
live for 100 years.
Tuataras are the only survivors
of a group of reptiles that lived
with the dinosaurs millions of
years ago. Today, they live
on a group of islands off
New Zealand.

Scaly skin Reptile relatives
A reptile’s skin is covered
with scales made of The reptiles of today are
keratin, like your nails. living relatives of dinosaurs
and look very similar to
Tortoise: the shell their ancient ancestors.You
of a tortoise has lots of can see similarities between
large, hard scales on it. the Tyrannosaurus rex and
this lizard.
Lizard: lizards’ scales
have stretchy skin Tyrannosaurus rex
between them.

Crocodile: these
scales are strengthened
in between by bony plates.

Snake: the skin on snakes
has overlapping scales
for extra protection.

Turn Collared
and learn lizard

Snails:
pp. 132-133

The reticulated python can reach lengths of 10 m (33 ft). 83

Reptiles

Under a shell

You can spot tortoises or turtles

because they carry their homes

on their backs – these domes,

called shells, are attached

to their bodies. Tortoise or turtle? Tortoise

Shell shapes The main difference between these two
Shells are hard and
protect the body. They reptiles is that tortoises live on land and
come in many shapes.
turtles live in water.

Starred tortoise: their Turtles
high domed shells are
difficult to attack.

African red-necked
turtle: flatter shells help
turtles slip through water.

Red-footed tortoise:
these tortoises have
unusually long shells.

Tortoises Turtles

Tortoises walk very slowly Turtles live under water.
because of their heavy shells. They sometimes poke
They have short, stocky legs their heads out to
breathe, but they can
that support their weight. also breathe through
They spend most their skin. Some
of the day can stay under the
eating plants. surface for weeks.

84

Do tortoises have teeth?

Eggs and babies Tortoises and Under a shell
turtles are born
Most turtle and tortoise eggs are completely complete with Race to the ocean
round, like ping-pong balls. Some are hard, their shells.
but others are quite soft to touch. The Turtles return to land to lay eggs
babies peck their way out of the eggs. – sometimes thousands of them
on one beach. When they hatch,
Hinge-back Hiding on the spot the babies all make a rush for
tortoise the sea where they will live.
When a tortoise feels
threatened, it quickly pulls Galápagos giants
its legs and head under its
shell, and keeps very still. The biggest tortoises in the
The shell is too hard for world live on the Galápagos
any animal to eat.
Islands off the coast of South
Tortoises’ shells are made of bone. America. They can be 1.8 m
(6 ft) long – that’s as long
as a man is tall!

The Galápagos
tortoise can live
up to 150 years old.

Experts believe that tortoises
lived among the dinosaurs
200 million years ago and
have changed little since.

No, instead they have sharp jaws that can snip twigs and leaves. 85

Reptiles

Introducing lizards

There are over 40,000 different types Most lizards have
of lizard, living in habitats ranging sharp teeth along the
from deserts to rainforests. They are
particularly fond of hot places. edges of their jaws.

Lizards Tokay gecko

Lizards have scaly bodies and four feet that Slow worm
each have five fingers. As lizards grow,
they shed their skin about once a month. Legless lizards

Madagascan This slow worm is not a worm –
day gecko it’s a lizard. It looks like a snake
but, unlike snakes, it has eyelids
and a notched tongue, whereas

snakes’ tongues are forked.

Some lizards have
no eyelids. They
lick their eyes
to clean them.

Day gecko

Most geckos prefer to
be active at night but this

Madagascan day gecko likes the
daylight. It lives in forests and
eats small insects and fruit.

86

Which is the fastest lizard on Earth?

Flying lizards Introducing lizards

Lizards can’t fly, Getting around
but some can glide
from tree to tree. Lizards are extremely agile.
This lizard has skin They can run very fast, some
around its body climb trees, and some can
that opens
out, like a even walk on water!
parachute.
Climbing lizards, such
Eggs as chameleons, have
Most lizards lay long claws that grip
eggs on the ground.
onto branches.
Laying: lizards
lay their eggs among Sticky fingers
leaves on the ground
or in sandy holes. Geckos have special toe
pads covered in millions
Eggs: the eggs are soft Chameleon of tiny hair-like spikes.
and leathery – easier These spikes can grip
to break out of. any surface, so geckos
are able climb up walls
Hatching: after The chameleon’s and even along ceilings.
two to three tail helps it to
weeks the balance when Crested
lizards hatch. it perches on water
thin twigs. dragon
Babies: baby
lizards look like 87
their parents.

Walking on water

When they want to go faster, some lizards,
like this crested water dragon, run on their hind
legs. The basilisk lizard above can even run for
short distances across the surface of the water,
its wide feet pushing it along at high speed.

The racerunner can run at 29 kph (18 mph) – that’s faster than most people can run.

Reptiles

Hunting and defence

Some lizards are Get lost!
fast runners, so they
can get away from When the frilled lizard feels threatened, it doesn’t
danger quickly. run away. Instead it opens its umbrella-like frill
They also use their around its neck, rocks its body, and hisses loudly.
speed to catch This is often enough to scare the enemy away.
smaller animals
for food. d opens out, it looks four times bigger.
When the loose skin on a frilled lizar
The frilled
lizard also
lashes its tail
backwards
and forwards.

Turn Frilled
and learn lizard

Insect defence:
pp. 114-115
Fish defence:
pp. 148-149

88

What is unusual about a chameleon’s eyes?

Chameleon Hunting and defence

Losing the tail Lunch time

Some lizards are able Most lizards eat meat. Some
to detach part of their eat small animals; some
tail if it is grabbed. Often can eat animals bigger than
the tail will carry on wiggling themselves. This chameleon
when it has broken off, which flicks out its enormous,
can distract the enemy. sticky tongue and
catches insects
This tree skink has broken on the tip.
its tail and is growing
a new one.

The Komodo
dragon can grow
to 3 m (10 ft) long.

Enter the dragon A touch of venom

The Komodo dragon is the largest of all The Gila monster is one of
only two species of venomous
lizards. It is so powerful it can catch and
lizards. When it has caught a
kill animals bigger than itself. It has victim, it chews the venom
into their bodies to
a long forked tongue that it uses kill them.

to taste the air and search out

dead animals. It lives in Indonesia.

Thorny Gila
devil monster

Thorny defence

The thorny devil has a
very tough defence. Its
back is covered with
sharp spines, which

make picking it up and
eating it very difficult indeed.

Chameleons can move their eyes in different directions. 89

Reptiles

Slithering snakes

Snakes can survive anywhere, from Types of snake
cold climates to the hot deserts and Snakes can be divided
rainforests of the world – you can into four different groups,
even find them underwater. or families.

Getting around A snake’s forked Typical snakes: this family
tongue flicks in is the biggest of the four.
Snakes have no arms and no legs. Instead the air to smell
they have a bendy body that wriggles. food or alert it Vipers: they have
Some slither in a straight line, others to enemies. venomous fangs and
like this viper wiggle in an “s” shape. live in the hot places.

Red-tailed Constrictors: kill their prey
racer by squeezing them to death.

Cobras and kraits: they
are some of the most
deadly creatures alive.

Snakes have no eyelids,
so they cannot blink.

Snake senses

Snakes can’t see or hear very well, but
they can smell much better than you or me.
They use their forked tongues to smell

and taste the air around them.

Turn
and learn

Snake defence:
pp. 92-93

Snake-like eel:
p. 149

90

What is the smallest snake?

Some tree snakes have ridges Slithering snakes
on their bellies, which
help them to grip Tree climbers
onto branches.
Many snakes live in trees,
coiling themselves around the

branches. They tend to have
long tails to help them
climb and balance.

Snakes everywhere Snakes have veryTree snakes can find birds’
benests in the trees using
Snake body shapes are ndsmell in order to attack
adapted to where they live. y band eat the chicks.
Ground snakes have heavy
bodies to slide through soil, odies.Hibernating
while sea snakes have
oar-like tails for swimming. Snakes can’t control their

Most sea snakes, body temperature very well
such as this sea so those that live in cold
krait, are incredibly climates often have a long
venomous. sleep, or hibernation,

during the winter.

Garter They can survive
snakes for many months
without eating.

Laying eggs

Snakes lay eggs but most do
not make good parents. The
python coils itself around
its eggs to keep them
warm, but most snakes
leave them, so the young
must fend for themselves.

The thread snake – it is not much bigger than a worm. 91

Reptiles

Attack and defence

All snakes eat animals, including Forms of defence
smaller snakes. But other animals also Snakes have many other
find snakes a tasty meal, so they have defences that protect
to be experts at defending themselves them from enemies.
as well as hunting for food.
Playing dead: the
grass snake lies with its
mouth open pretending
to be dead.

Camouflage: this viper’s
colouring camouflages it
among the leaves.

Rattlers: the rattlesnake
shakes its tail making
a loud warning noise.

When Protection Spitting Attack
danger cobra
threatens, Snakes have various ways to protect Cobras are among
the cobra themselves. Some snakes, such as the most dangerous
rears up its the forest pit viper above, have long snakes on Earth;
head and fangs containing deadly venom. their venom can
hisses. If When threatened, they bite. easily kill humans.
this doesn’t This spitting cobra
frighten the
enemy away, squirts venom at its
it strikes. victims, which can
permanently blind them.

92

Which is the most venomous snake in the world?

Cunning Attack and defence

Snakes creep up Eating habits
on their victims
then lunge at them Snakes eat pretty
incredibly quickly. much anything that
They kill larger moves, from ants and
victims before they snails to goats and
eat them, either by crocodiles. The egg-
injecting venom or
crushing them. eating snake can
swallow eggs bigger
Green cat snake than its head! It then
squeezes the insides out
Many snakes are and vomits up the shell.
well camouflaged
against their Egg-eating snake
background, which
makes it easier The snake’s jaws are
for them to elastic and stretch wide to
stalk victims. allow it to eat big animals.

The egg is squashed by
muscles inside the snake’s body.

Snakes can eat so much in one meal A tight squeeze
that they don’t have to feed for weeks.
Constrictors, such as this
anaconda, wrap themselves around
their victims and squeeze them
until they can’t breathe. This snake
will eat this large alligator whole!

Turn
and learn

How lizards
defend themselves
against enemies:

pp. 88-89

The “fierce snake”, found in Australia, is the most venomous. 93

Reptiles

Crocodiles and alligators

Lurking beneath the water are the Crocodilians
monsters of the reptile world. Meet There are three
the wild, ferocious crocodilians. types of crocodilians.

This animal Fierce crocs Gharial: this
is a caiman, a crocodilian has
type of alligator Crocodilians are large, meat-eating reptiles a long thin snout.

that lives in that live in water, but sometimes hunt on land as Alligator: it has
Central and a shorter, broader
South America. well. They all have very powerful jaws and teeth. snout and lives in
the Americas.
Crocodilians have
three eyelids on Crocodile: unlike
each eye – one the alligator, it has
acts like goggles teeth showing when
underwater. its mouth is closed.

Water beasts Crocodilians cannot chew.

Crocodiles and alligators Spectacled
live in water and are very caiman
good swimmers. Their eyes and
nostrils are on top of their head
so that they can see, breathe,
and hunt with the rest of their
bodies underwater.

Most crocodilians live
in freshwater rivers
and lakes, although
a few species also
venture out to sea.

Day to day

Crocodilians lead fairly lazy lives.
During the morning and evening
they lie on banks basking in the
sun with their mouths open. This
helps them to warm up or cool down.
They spend the night in the water.

94

How big can crocodiles grow?

Crocodiles and alligators

Parenting The temperature at which
the female keeps the
Crocodilians make very good eggs determines whether
parents. Males attract females they are male or female.
by bellowing and blowing
bubbles. The female lays her
eggs near the water and
guards them fiercely.

Baby crocodile being
carried by its mother

Parenthood Nile crocodile

The female stays with

the eggs until they hatch into tiny

versions of their parents. Often the mother

will then pop the babies into her mouth

and carry them to the safety of the water.

They shake and tear meat.

Crocodiles and Turn A large appetite
alligators only and learn
eat about 50 Crocodilians are some of the world’s great
meals a year. Other reptiles meat-eaters. Often, like this crocodile, they wait
that enjoy the at the water’s edge for an animal to take a drink,
water – turtles: then they attack, grabbing it with their massive jaws.
They can kill animals bigger than themselves.
pp. 84-85
95
Saltwater crocodiles can grow up to a massive 6 m (20 ft) – that’s as long as a large car.

Amphibians

The world of amphibians

Amphibians are different Amphibians
There are three main
from reptiles in that they types of amphibians.

have smooth skin with no Frogs and toads: these
amphibians have no tail
scales. They are born in and big back legs.

water, then live on Newts and
salamanders: these
land or in water lizard-shaped animals
live on land or in water.
Fire when they grow up.
salamander Caecilians: these
worm-like creatures
Amazing skin have no legs.

Most adult amphibians, such as this
salamander, can breathe through their
skin as well as their lungs. In order
for the skin to breathe it has to
be kept moist, which is why
most amphibians like
to live near water.

Turn Colourful creatures
and learn
Many amphibians are incredibly
Mammals that colourful creatures. Some are
also like to live
spotted, others are striped, and
in water: some are just very bright.
pp. 44-45

96

What is the world’s most poisonous frog?

The world of amphibians

A choice of home

Frogs and toads can live

both on land and in water.

Some even live in trees.

Land frogs Water living
tend to be more
rounded in shape Some salamanders
than water frogs. spend the whole of
their lives underwater.
This cave salamander does not
have any lungs; it breathes using
gills, like a fish. It is almost blind.

all trees.
of t
live in the tops
Caecilians
Some frogs Legless
caecilians are

rarely seen by humans

because they live either

underwater or underground.

They have a pointed head,

which they use as a shovel.

Tomato frogs If an animal is poisonous it
is often a very bright colour
that warns predators.

Travelling parents Common newt

Each spring salamanders, newts, 97
frogs, and toads lay their eggs in

ponds or streams. Some travel
5 km (3 miles) to get there.

The most poisonous frog is the golden poison dart frog.

Amphibians

Frogs and toads
White’s tree frog

Frogs and toads have short, Frogs often
tubby bodies and large heads have longer

back legs
than toads.

with bulging eyes. They have

no visible neck and most have Frog or toad?
a very wide mouth. Frogs and
toads live in lots of different There are not many differences between

frogs and toads. Toads tend to have

warty skin, while frogs have smooth skin.

habitats around the world.

In order to leap, the frog straightens its legs and pushes away...

North Legs and leaping
American
leopard frog Frogs are well known for their
high leaps into the air, which they
Frogs leap to make using their muscular back legs.
move around and Because these are longer than the front
to escape danger. ones, they stay folded until it’s time to jump!

Making more frogs Tadpoles live
under water
Each spring, thousands of frogs
return to the water to find a until they
are frogs.
mate and lay their eggs. Large
clumps of these eggs, called Spawn
spawn, are laid together,
covered in jelly to
protect them.

98

How many eggs can frogs and toads lay in a lifetime?