Incredible Facts About Incredible Birds

We’re pretty accustomed to seeing and hearing birds on a daily basis. However, the species we tend to spot are just a fraction of the amount that exist around the world. Apparently, there could be around 10,000 different varieties of these animals, with their total number being somewhere in the billions.

This alone is pretty incredible, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fascinating facts about these creatures. If you’ve ever wanted to know some of these species better, we’ve read up on a few to find out just how amazing they really are. You might not see these birds in the same way after this.

Bassian thrushes can apparently locate their food by expelling gas

Usually, we think of expelling gas as something people do after eating. However, it’s actually the reverse with Bassian thrushes. It seems they tend to do this before chowing down and even use that gas as a means of finding something to eat. How is that possible? Apparently, when they pass gas in front of a pile of leaves, it’s powerful enough to shift what’s on the ground. This consequently drives any worms in said pile to start moving around, making it easy for the bird to locate them and enjoy a feast.

Cardinals willingly cover themselves in ants every now and again

The thought of being covered in ants may well terrify you. It sounds like something out of a horror film, right? However, there are some animals who actually consider this to be a great idea. That includes cardinals, which will apparently happily cover themselves in ants, alive or otherwise. As it stands, scientists reportedly don’t know for sure why cardinals do this process known as “anting.” However, it could be because the insects release formic acid, which may help to remove various parasites, such as lice.

Ravens could actually mimic human speech better than parrots

Talking birds isn’t that unusual of a concept, given that we know parrots can mimic human words. However, they aren’t the only species capable of this, with reports that ravens could actually be even better at this trick. That doesn’t mean you’ll be able to strike up a conversation with one in the wild, though, as it’s only those in captivity that supposedly learn to do this. Instead, you might hear them copying animals like wolves or foxes, which they’re typically more exposed to in a natural environment.

Mallards can apparently sleep while keeping one eye open

When we’re suspicious of someone or afraid for our safety, we might talk about sleeping with one eye open. However, very few people actually have the ability to do this. It’s far less common in humans than it is in mallards, who can reportedly keep an eye out for predators while they doze. Not all of them do this every time they go to sleep, though. Typically, the ducks will sleep in a line, with the mallards on the end responsible for keeping guard. Though they don’t get as much rest as the others, they’re still able to get some shut-eye even though one of their eyes isn’t shut.

Owls are capable of swallowing some of their prey whole

Owls are both curious and terrifying. To some, they probably seem like quite cute creatures, and they can definitely have their moments. However, if you’ve ever seen an owl leap into action and eat its prey, you might not think of them as particularly cuddly. That’s because they will consume some animals whole without a second thought. Creatures like mice are reportedly small enough to go straight down, with the owls then regurgitating the indigestible parts as pellets later. Thankfully, they can’t manage such an impressive mouthful with larger prey.

Budgies are apparently the first non-mammal species to display contagious yawning

How often have you yawned because someone else nearby did it first? It’s a response that is pretty common in humans, as well as other mammals like dogs and chimps. It’s not something that you typically see in birds, although there is at least one species that does this - budgies. They’re reportedly the first non-mammals to showcase such behavior, meaning any budgie owners should probably think twice before yawning in front of their pet. Supposedly, this behavior is linked to group alertness or empathy, but if you ask us, it’s just a nuisance.

We’ve always known birds as a whole to be pretty fascinating creatures. However, now that we know more about some of the species that form this group of animals, they just got that extra bit more interesting.