10 Things You Never Knew About Birds

Birds are really weird. They drink too much, jump too high, and eat whole pigeons live. Here are 10 really awesome facts about birds that will make you want to become a bird nerd.

1. Young birds can get drunk on fermented berries.

Via youtube.com

Humans aren't the only animals in the world to get drunk. Birds are known to become heavily intoxicated on fermented berries in summer months. These berries can have the same alcohol content of a strong cider.

As with human teenagers, young birds are more likely to binge and can end up getting berry drunk. Flying under the influence is difficult and flocks of drunk birds have been known to fly into things and fall out of trees.

2. The heaviest flying bird weighs as much as a six year old human child.

Via youtube.com

It's called a Great Bustard and males are thought to be the heaviest flying animal with the heaviest one weighing in at 21kg.

This feisty Bustard is from Salisbury Plains in England where David Waters raises and releases Bustards into the wild.

3. Penguins can jump up to six feet in the air.

Via youtube.com

This little guy is still learning...

4. Falcons can swoop at over 200 miles per hour.

Via youtube.com

They've been used for over 4,000 years to hunt in eastern and central Asia. Birds were used because they could kill animals beyond the range of a hunter’s weapon. Genghis Khan's grandson reportedly had 10,000 falconers!

5. The most yolks ever found in a single chicken's egg is nine.

Via youtube.com

Double yolks are a "mistake" in the chicken's reproductive system that sometimes occur when a hen is new to laying eggs and her system is still trying to figure out how to do it correctly. Double Yolkers appear when ovulation occurs too rapidly, or when one yolk somehow gets "lost" and is joined by the next yolk.

Nine yolks, well that hen has a lot to learn...

6. Flamingos are not naturally pink

Via youtube.com

They get their color from their food - tiny green algae that turn pink during digestion.

7. Albatross have the lowest "divorce rate" of all birds.

Via youtube.com

A recent study looked at the breeding behaviour of 100 bird species that form long-term partnerships and found that albatross have the lowest "divorce rates" of all birds. They are completely faithful to each other and will return to land every two years to breed with the same partner. Males are known to have affairs with other females, but will always return to their breeding partner.

8. There are bird versions of the Venus Flytrap.

Via youtube.com

This is a tawny frogmouth. It's found in Australia and is the bird equivelant of a Venus Flytrap. When a small bird, frog, lizard or dragonfly approaches, it expands its enormous gaping mouth, drawing in the animal. Within a fraction of a second, the massive bill snaps shut with a loud click. The prey is then swallowed whole. Tawny Frogmouths might be the creepiest birds on Earth.

9. Kiwi are the only birds with nostrils at the end of their beaks.

Via youtube.com

These nostrils help it sniff for food, such as worms and insects in the ground. It often snorts to clear its nostrils.

This GIF is of Piwi the Kiwi being rehabilitated after he broke both his legs.

10. The Australian pelican has the longest bill of any bird in the world.

Via youtube.com

Its pouch-like beak can hold up to 2.5 gallons of water at a time. They've also been known to eat pigeons. And baby gannets. Whole.