The Daring Deeds of the World's Bravest Birds

The Daring Deeds of the World’s Bravest Birds

Birds are often thought of as timid, fragile creatures that prefer to avoid danger at all costs. But as it turns out, there are some avian species that are anything but cowardly. From storm-chasing seabirds to fire-eating scavengers, the animal kingdom is home to a surprising number of feathered daredevils.

In this post, we’ll explore the incredible risk-taking behaviors of several bird species, uncovering the clever strategies and remarkable adaptations that allow them to pull off some truly death-defying stunts. Along the way, we’ll also highlight some of the fascinating research and resources available for bird enthusiasts, including the SciShow Rocks Box and a 30x magnification jeweler’s loupe perfect for up-close rock and mineral exploration.

Chasing the Storm: The Desertas Petrel

Let’s start with one of the most daring birds on the planet – the Desertas Petrel. This rare seabird makes its home in the North Atlantic, with the only known breeding colony located on Bugio Island off the western coast of Africa.

Like many seabirds, the Desertas Petrel spends the majority of its time soaring over the open ocean in search of food. But what sets this species apart is its unique approach to weathering the frequent storms that rage across its oceanic habitat.

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Riding the Winds of Change

While most seabirds will do their best to avoid high winds and towering waves, the Desertas Petrel actively seeks out the heart of the storm. Researchers have tracked these birds traveling thousands of kilometers to keep pace with powerful hurricanes and tropical systems, unfazed by waves reaching up to 8 meters high and winds exceeding 100 km/h.

So why would a bird willingly put itself in such perilous conditions? The answer lies in the Desertas Petrel’s unique feeding strategy:

These birds primarily eat fish, squid, and crustaceans that typically dwell hundreds of meters below the ocean’s surface.
While petrels are excellent flyers, they’re not as skilled at diving deep to reach their prey.
However, the Desertas Petrel has discovered that stormy weather can bring its food sources closer to the surface.

As a storm system moves over the ocean, the strong winds draw up colder, nutrient-rich water from the depths. This sudden change in surface conditions causes the petrels’ prey to migrate upwards to feed on the abundant plankton – making them easy pickings for the birds.

Riding the Storm’s Coattails

But the Desertas Petrel’s storm-chasing behavior offers another key advantage: energy conservation. Rather than expending precious calories by actively flapping their wings, these birds can simply glide along, using the powerful winds to carry them forward with minimal effort.

In essence, the Desertas Petrel has found a way to turn the perils of a storm into an opportunity – both for finding food and for conserving precious energy reserves. It’s a remarkable adaptation that allows this seabird to thrive in one of the most inhospitable environments on the planet.

Putting on a Show: The Killdeer and the Hummingbird

While the Desertas Petrel’s storm-chasing antics are all about survival, some birds take big risks for a different reason – to impress a potential mate.

The Killdeer’s Theatrical Ruse

Take the killdeer, for example. These ground-nesting birds have a rather lackadaisical approach to building their homes, often just scraping a shallow depression in the soil or using a natural clump of vegetation. But when it comes to protecting their nests and hatchlings, the killdeer are willing to go to extraordinary lengths.

If a predator approaches the nest, the adult killdeer will employ a clever ruse – they’ll start flopping around on the ground, feigning a broken wing. This “injury” is designed to lure the predator away from the nest, with the promise of an easy meal. But just as the predator gets close, the killdeer suddenly “recovers” and flies to safety, leaving the would-be hunter disappointed.

This risky behavior could easily backfire if the bird gets too caught up in its performance and ends up becoming prey itself. Yet, researchers have found that this strategy has evolved independently in over 50 different bird families – a testament to its effectiveness.

Hummingbird Showmanship

Hummingbirds take this risk-taking behavior to an even more daring level. These tiny birds are known for their feisty attitudes, and they’ll often mob larger predators like owls to protect their nests. But in a surprising twist, researchers have discovered that hummingbirds will sometimes choose to mob a predator… just to show off.

In a series of experiments, scientists set out models of two different owl species – one that regularly preys on small birds (the pygmy owl), and one that poses little threat (the burrowing owl). The hummingbirds were much more likely to engage in mobbing behavior when there were more female hummingbirds present, suggesting that the males were putting on a display to impress potential mates.

Remarkably, the hummingbirds even seemed to discriminate between the two owl species, preferring to dive-bomb the less dangerous burrowing owl rather than the more formidable pygmy owl. It’s a risky strategy, to be sure – imagine a tiny hummingbird taking on an owl, just to show off. But for these birds, the potential rewards of finding a mate seem to outweigh the dangers.

Nonstop Endurance: The Bar-Tailed Godwit

While the killdeer and hummingbird are willing to take big risks for the sake of their families or love lives, the bar-tailed godwit takes things to an entirely different level when it comes to migration.

The World’s Longest Nonstop Flight

This shorebird holds the Guinness World Record for the longest nonstop flight ever undertaken by a bird – a staggering 13,000 kilometers (or nearly 9,000 miles) over the course of 9 days. And they don’t even stop to rest, eat, or drink along the way.

The bar-tailed godwit’s epic journey takes them from their nesting grounds in Alaska all the way to their wintering grounds in New Zealand, with the entire flight occurring over the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Researchers believe this extreme nonstop migration strategy has evolved for a few key reasons:

Both Alaska and New Zealand offer abundant food sources and few predators, making them ideal breeding and wintering grounds.
By migrating to the opposite hemisphere when it’s summer in one location and winter in the other, the godwits can take advantage of the best conditions year-round.
However, the traditional stopover points that would have allowed these birds to break up the journey no longer exist, likely due to changes in the planet’s geography over time.

Extreme Adaptations for Extreme Flights

Completing such a monumental journey without any opportunity to refuel is an incredible feat of endurance. To prepare, the bar-tailed godwits will pack on the pounds in the weeks leading up to their migration, increasing their body fat to over 50% of their total body weight.

But that’s not all – the birds also undergo some remarkable physiological changes to support their nonstop flight:

About a month before takeoff, their gizzards, livers, kidneys, and other digestive organs actually shrink in size.
Meanwhile, their hearts and flight muscles grow larger to power their epic journey.
This essentially allows the godwits to “shut off” the energy-intensive process of digestion, conserving precious calories for the flight ahead.

Once they reach their destination in New Zealand, the birds’ organs return to their normal size – only to repeat the entire process when it’s time to make the return trip back to Alaska.

It’s an astonishing display of avian endurance and adaptation, putting even the most seasoned human marathon runners to shame. And it just goes to show that when it comes to the lengths birds will go to reach their goals, the sky truly is the limit.

Playing with Fire: The Rufous Treepie

While the Desertas Petrel, killdeer, and bar-tailed godwit all demonstrate remarkable risk-taking behaviors in the name of survival and reproduction, the rufous treepie takes things to a whole new level – by literally playing with fire.

Eating the Flames

In 2017, birdwatchers at India’s Jassore Wildlife Sanctuary made a surprising observation: they witnessed a group of rufous treepies, a type of corvid bird, actively stealing and extinguishing the lit wicks from prayer lamps inside a nearby temple.

It turns out these treepies had discovered that the fuel used in the lamps was ghee, or clarified butter – a delicacy that the birds were eager to get their beaks on. So they would swoop in, grab the still-burning wicks, and then shake their heads vigorously to put out the flames, allowing them to enjoy their buttery treat.

This remarkable behavior not only speaks to the high intelligence of the rufous treepie, but also highlights their incredible adaptability and problem-solving skills. Rather than being deterred by the fire, these birds found a clever way to safely access a valuable food source.

A Fiery Feast

While some raptors are known to use fire to flush out prey, the rufous treepie represents the first documented case of a bird actively consuming something that was recently on fire. It’s a testament to the incredible diversity of avian behaviors, and a reminder that even the most seemingly fragile creatures can display remarkable bravery and innovation.

So the next time you spot a bird in the wild, don’t assume it’s a timid, delicate creature. It might just be gearing up for its next daring adventure – whether that’s chasing a storm, putting on a show for a potential mate, or even playing with fire. The natural world is full of feathered daredevils, and these birds are here to prove it.

Exploring the World of Rocks and Minerals

As we’ve seen, the animal kingdom is home to a wealth of fascinating and often surprising behaviors. And the same can be said for the world of rocks and minerals – a realm that the team at SciShow has been exploring in depth this year.

Every month, SciShow subscribers who sign up for the SciShow Rocks Box receive a unique rock or mineral sample, along with a video all about its fascinating properties and origins. From the stunning iridescence of ammolite to the mesmerizing patterns of agate, these monthly deliveries offer a chance to delve into the incredible diversity of the geological world.

But the SciShow team knows that there are plenty of rock enthusiasts out there who aren’t part of the Rocks Box program. That’s why they’ve also made available a 30x magnification jeweler’s loupe – the perfect tool for up-close exploration of rocks, minerals, and fossils. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just starting to develop an interest in geology, this high-powered lens can help you uncover the hidden beauty and complexity of the Earth’s natural wonders.

So if you’re inspired by the daring exploits of the world’s bravest birds, why not channel that sense of adventure and curiosity into the realm of rocks and minerals? Who knows what incredible discoveries might be waiting for you, just waiting to be uncovered.