White-faced Herons

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Once I had my friend over and we were just about to go out the door when I spotted the most beautiful bird. It was tall, grey, with a long thick beak and white face. It was a white-faced heron, hunting for lizards in my garden. Today, we saw that it had visited us again. It was leaning over the pond, where our fish were lurking. We were worried that it would gobble them up. What were we to do? we wondered. Luckily, we didn't see the heron eat any fish. Except for a little black wriggly thing in its beak. Still, I would like to share with you the wonders of these amazing birds...

Habitat
Wetlands, shrub and shallow watery places.

Feeding
Small reptiles, fish, frogs, and others.

Breeding
White-faced heron breeding usually occurs in spring. The pair build the nest together, a shallow bowl of sticks. They make it on high leafy branches. Their breeding plumage consists of long plumes on the neck, back, and head. The females lay 3 to 5 light blue eggs in the nest, and normally one clutch is laid every year. After about 25 days, the eggs hatch and the mother and father guard the babies for 3 to 4 weeks and the chicks are ready to fledge after 40 days. The chicks are fed upon by owls, kookaburras, magpies and others.

Lifespan
About or over 70 years.

(If you want to learn more about white-faced herons and see some awesome pictures, click here!)

Thorny Devils

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The thorny devil is known by a variety of different names, such as the thorny dragon, thorny lizard, mountain devil, and moloch. Did you know that it is the only animal in the genus Moloch?

Looks

Thorny devils are a small, grey brown desert lizard covered with spiky armour. On the back of their necks is a “false head.” They display this to enemies by tipping their actual head. Its spikes protect it against its predators and help it to camouflage, also collecting dew in the ridges and moving the water to the mouth using grooves between the spikes. Their colours change, lighter in hotter weather and dark in cold. In all, the thorny devil is a cleverly created creature.

Habitat

These lizards live in the scrubland and desert areas throughout central Australia, and therefore it makes use of the spinifex clumps common in the regions.

Feeding

Thorny devils mostly eat ants. They eat many, many of them in a single day. It can drink in water from any part of its body.

Breeding

In the breeding season, September to December, Females lay three to ten eggs in a burrow. After three or four months, the eggs hatch. At only a couple days old, the babies have dig their way out of the sand and into the world.

Predators

Birds, goannas, and humans. Buzzards hunt these lizards for prey.

Lifetime

About 20 years. At 3 years old Thorny Devils reach maturity.

Thorny Devils are endangered animals. Humans have been protecting their nests by putting wire around them, keeping enemies away from the newborn lizards.

Watch this great video about these cool lizards!

King Birds of Paradise

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The King bird of Paradise is said to be the most vividly coloured of its species.

Looks

Male King birds of Paradise are small birds, with scarlet bodies and white underparts.  Males have blue feet and long, green-tipped curled tail wires. The females, however, are not nearly as striking, with dull brown feathers and barred underparts, though they have the same bright feet as the males. 

Breeding

The courtship of the male is an elaborate display of feather fluffing and tail swinging. Some may compete at display grounds called elks.

Once they have mated, the pair makes the nest together and cares for the chicks. The incubation period of the eggs is 17 to 21 days. After 17 to 30 days the chicks are ready to leave the nest.

Feeding

The King bird of Paradise eats mostly fruit and insects.

Habitat

These birds live in lowland forests in New Guinea, as well as on close by islands.

Wilson's Birds of Paradise

Wilson's bird of paradise

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Here's a movie for Wilson's bird of paradise!

Looks

Male Wilson’s birds of paradise have a bare bright blue crown that is visible even at night, criss-crossed with a black pattern. They have deep red backs, two curled tail wires, and a yellow patch on the backs of their necks. The male birds also have a shining grey-black beak and stunning blue feet, with an emerald green chest. The females are a dull brown with pale blue feet and head, scoop-shaped markings on its belly, and darker brown wings with reddish tips. Females have no tail wires.

Feeding

Wilson’s birds of paradise eat insects and fruit. 


Habitat
Wilson's birds of paradise live in montane and hill forests, sometimes lowlands.

Breeding

Before he starts his display, a male bird first clears a stage. He makes sure there is plenty of sunlight for the females to admire him properly, then he begins. The display consists of the male spreading his green “shield”, and letting out a high-pitched cheep. He will also dip his head and hold up his spiral tail feathers, puffing up the yellow patch on his neck.

Blue Birds of Paradise

Blue bird of paradise

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Video of Blue bird of paradise displaying!

Looks

Blue birds of paradise have blue-white beaks, black bodies and heads, and stunning blue wings. Its back and magnificent tail plumes are bright blue as well. A ring of white surrounds their eyes, and the males have two long black wires coming out from their tails, curling at the tips elegantly. The females have brown underparts, while the males have blue.

Feeding

Like the Raggiana bird of paradise, Blue birds of paradise usually just eat fruit, like figs and berries, with a few lizards and insects. They will sometimes defend and guard fruit trees.

Habitat
These birds live in southeastern New Guinea, in low montane forests.

Breeding

To attract a female, the male bird hangs upside down from a branch and fans out his tail plumes while making a metallic whirring sound. The blue bird of paradise bobs up and down, waving his tail at the females. Male Blue birds of paradise mate more than once in their lifetime. Once the two birds have mated, the female incubates and cares for the eggs and chicks by herself.

Raggiana Birds of Paradise

There are many different birds of paradise, but they all have something in common: beauty.

Raggiana bird of paradise

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Video of Raggiana bird of paradise reproduction!

Looks

The national bird of New Guinea, Raggiana birds of paradise have light maroon-brown body plumage and grey-blue feet and beak. Male birds have green throats, and a yellow cap on their heads that joins a band of yellow going under its chin like a chinstrap. They have magnificent ruff of red feathers that they display when courting a female. Females have no red ruff, instead they are plain maroon-brown with a darker face, throat, ear-coverts, and chin. They are smaller than the males, with shorter wings.

Feeding

Raggiana birds of paradise eat mostly fruits such as berries and figs. It may also eat insects and spiders, as well as frogs and lizards.

Breeding

When the time comes to mate, males birds perch in trees to attract the females' attention. They clap their wings, shake their heads and puff out their beautiful red-orange tail plumes. Once they have mated, the female lays 1 or 2 eggs in a bowl-shaped nest made of leaves, ferns, and plant fibres.

King Cobras

King Cobras are known for spitting venom in the eyes of prey, blinding them. Despite what their name suggests, they are not actually cobras.

Looks

Their patterns depend on where they live, but their colours are the same. They are brown and yellow with black stripes. When they are hatchlings, the black bands are stronger, but as they grow the black fades until the stripes are only vague.

Feeding

King Cobras eat mostly other snakes. Their diet of snakes includes small pythons, ratsnakes, and mangrove snakes.

Habitat

These snakes live mostly in plains, forests and rainforests in China, Southeast Asia, and India. Also liking mangrove swamps, King Cobras are good tree climbers.

Breeding

King Cobras are the only snakes who make nests and guard them fiercely. A shedding of skin marks the beginning of the breeding season, which starts in January. Sadly, the eggs can be broken, trampled or eaten by wild boars and mongooses. The female will lay 20-50 eggs. The baby grows inside, then, when it has grown big enough to hatch, it makes a hole in the shell and slithers out. Like other snakes, King Cobra eggs have soft shells.

Enemies

King Cobras have enough poison to kill an elephant. They have a “hood” on their necks, which they flare when the snake is threatened or angry. When about to attack, King Cobras rise up off the ground, spread their hoods and hiss ferociously. 
They usually shy away from humans, only attacking when the snake is cornered. Mongooses are the main predators of these snakes. Another enemy of the King Cobras are humans, who destroy their habitats, driving them out where they can kill them.

Here's a link to a video of a Mozambique spitting cobra!

Bald Eagles

Bald eagles aren't actually bald. Instead, they have white feathers on their heads. 

Looks

Bald eagles have white feathers on their head and tail. They have fierce yellow beaks and dark brown body and wings. 

Feeding

With a diet of mainly fish, sometimes birds, and small mammals, bald eagles are sea eagles. They mainly eat carrion and steal scraps of meat from other animals. They catch fish by diving down close to the water and snatching up their prey with their sharp talons.

Habitat

Bald eagles live near water where they can fish, and tall trees in which they can nest. These eagles live in North America, by lakes, rivers, and in coastal areas.

Breeding

A bald eagle’s nest is the biggest in the world, weighing 1.1 tons. At five years of age, bald eagles are old enough to mate. They usually mate for life, if they succeed in breeding. Other things may prevent them from being together. When they mate, they do a spectacular courtship display, gripping each other’s claws and falling towards the ground. They split up before hitting the ground, though, and continue their display with different amazing feats.

Lifespan

In the wild bald eagles can live up to 30 years. But in captivity they can live about 40 or 50 fifty years. 


History


Bald eagles used to be extremely endangered due to the use of pesticides and the destruction of their habitat. Now they not threatened, but are still protected.

Penguins

There are lots of different penguin species. They include: the Fairy penguin, the Emperor penguin, and the Gentoo penguin.

Breeding

Most penguins normally lay 1 brood, but the Little Penguin, or the Fairy Penguin, lays about 2. 

Habitat

Penguins live mostly in the southern hemisphere, though they can also be found on every other continent. They nest on islands, where they are safer from predators.

Looks

Penguins cannot fly; instead of using their tiny wings to lift themselves, they use them to swim. They are very agile in the water, looking like a bird in the air. But on land they are quite clumsy. Sometimes they slide on their bellies down hills.


Penguins are black with white chests and belly, with white under their wings. They use the same camouflage as dolphins. Anyone looking up would not see the white belly of a penguin against the pale water. Someone looking down from above wouldn’t see black against the deep, dark water. 

Feeding

Penguins can dive very deep in search of prey. Penguins eat fish and squid, sometimes krill. They also eat other crustaceans. 

Here's an incredible video of king penguins!

Pandas

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Due to farming, pandas are very rare.


Feeding 
Pandas eat bamboo stalks, buds and leaves. They also like to eat grass, tubers, and yams. They will even eat rodents and birds! They eat by holding the bamboo with their ‘thumb’ while they munch on the hard stalks. 


Breeding 
When baby pandas are very young, they have not grown their black patches yet. They are small, pink, and helpless. Adult pandas have woolly fur that keeps them warm in cold weather. Female pandas breed once a year. They are ready to mate when they are around 4 to 6 years old. Panda cubs stay around their mums until they are about two years old. 


Looks 
Pandas are black and white, with wide paws and a round body. They have a short snout and short, thick legs. Their ears are small and rounded, and they have black patches of fur over their eyes. 


Habitat 
Pandas live in China, in the mountains where bamboo grows. But sadly, their habitat is being destroyed, so they are endangered. They live usually by themselves, wandering through the forest. Each panda has some marked territory. 


Lifespan 
Pandas live up to 20 years at most in the wild, but about 30 years in captivity.

Red-eyed tree frogs

Red-eyed tree frogs are not reptiles.They are amphibians.

Feeding

Red-eyed tree frogs feed on flies, crickets and moths, using their long tongue to snatch them out of the air.

Breeding

Red-eyed tree frogs breed from the end of May to the end of November, in the wet season. Once they have mated, the female frog lays a large clutch of eggs on a leaf. The tadpoles change into frogs in about 80 days.

Looks

Red-eyed tree frogs have bright red eyes and webbed orange-yellow feet. They are lime green with yellow and blue patterned sides. Luckily they do not carry poison, unlike the poison dart frog. They like to keep moist and stay near the water in case an enemy approaches.

Habitat

These frogs live in rainforests and the tropics. They also live in ponds in gardens and forests.

Nocturnalism

Red-eyed tree frogs are nocturnal.

Lifespan

These frogs live up to 5 years.

Tigers

Tigers belong in the same family as your pussycat. 

Feeding

Tigers eat mostly wild boar and deer, though sometimes they hunt bigger animals, like elephant calves! Tigers stalk their prey by creeping quietly forward so the animal doesn’t hear them, then pouncing.

Breeding

Female tigers have cubs when they are about four or three. Their den is a cave or clump of bushes. Baby tigers follow their mothers for up to 3 years, then depart to look for their own place to live.  

Looks

Tigers are the biggest feline in the cat family. They are red-orange with black stripes and a white ruff around their face. There are also white tigers in the world; pure white with dark stripes. ‘Golden tabby tigers’ can be seen, but they are very rare. ‘Golden tabby tigers’ or ‘Strawberry tigers’ are golden with white underbelly and legs. Because of tiger hunters, tigers are extremely endangered.

Habitat

Bengal tigers are found in India. They like grasslands and swamps, as well as rainforest. Tigers’ stripes blend in with the grass. Strangely, Tigers love to swim. 

Lifespan

Tigers can live up to 26 years in captivity, though they don’t survive for very long in the wild. 

Barn Owls

Barn owls have a large wingspan. Their disc-shaped faces help them to locate prey.

Feeding

Barn owls eat small rodents, like rats and mice. They hunt using their amazing hearing and eyesight, flying close to the ground then diving when they spot prey. 

Breeding

These owls breed mostly in April. Barn owls can nest in caves and attics. The mother owl lays about seven eggs, and the father takes prey to the mother while she sits on the eggs and looks after her chicks. 

Looks

Barn owls have heart-shaped faces. They are gold-brown and white, with long legs and a short tail. They have black and white speckles on their shoulders and wings, with a hooked beak. They scream instead of hoots, and they have large black eyes.

Habitat

Barn owls live in South America, North America, Africa, Europe, Southeast Asia, India and also Australia. They like forests, fields and farms.

Nocturnalism

Barn owls are nocturnal.

Lifespan

Barn owls can live up to 5 or 27 years.

Here's an awesome video of the majestic Barn Owl!

Arctic Foxes

Feeding

Arctic foxes eat small rodents. They also eat birds, and sometimes a few fish. When prey is hard to find in winter, they will eat the scraps that polar bears leave after they hunt.

Breeding

Arctic foxes have a litter of about 14 pups in spring. The father helps to raise them as well as the mother fox. The cubs are a brown-grey colour when they are first young, but when they age the brown fur drops away to be replaced with white.

Looks

Arctic foxes are usually white to blend in with their surroundings. They live in a snow-covered part of the world, so they need fur on their pads to grip the slippery ground. They can live in FREEZING temperatures! They nest in burrows that they dig in the ground. Their coats change to match the seasons: in winter their fur is snow-white, but in summer they are brownish-grey so they can hide among the rocks and grass.

Habitat

Arctic foxes live in the arctic, as their name suggests. The days are cold and snowy, so it is quite hard to find food. Luckily they have a thick coat and incredible hearing.

Nocturnalism

Arctic foxes are mostly up in the evening and early morning, but they are often seen out of their burrows in daytime.

Lifespan

These foxes can live up to 15 years, but sometimes they only live 3 years! :(

River Otters

Otters are mammals. They are mainly active at night, but they like to sun themselves in the daytime.

Feeding

River otters’ main food is fish, which they hunt using their underwater swimming skills. They eat by lying on their backs on top of the water and holding the food in place with their front paws. River otters eat crabs as well, plus other seafood.

Breeding

River otters have their babies in the springtime. Newborn otters are blind. They stay in their den until they are a month old. They learn to swim a bit earlier. Baby river otters are ready to live by themselves when they are about one year old.

Habitat

River otters live along rivers, streams, or lakes. They can swim very well, using their webbed feet to paddle and their tails to steer. This species of otter can stay under the water for about four minutes, but they breathe air. They spend most of their lives in water, but they also journey on land to find a mate.

Looks

Otters belong to a family that includes badgers and skunks. They have short, smooth fur which is almost always wet! Otters have large black noses, long whiskers and a thick, furry tail.

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Lifespan

Wild River otters live 10 years, but they may reach 16 years in captivity.

Cats

Cats are small, furry mammals and are very popular house pets.


Feeding

House cats now eat just cat food, but there are also wild cats. They eat small animals such as rabbits, squirrels, mice, and birds.

Habitat

Cats used to live in the wild in forests, alleys, woods, and sometimes were found sneaking around in parks after dark. Most cats live in houses, though some have escaped humans and still live freely. 

Breeding

Once the male and female have mated, the female finds a safe, dark, and quiet spot to have her kittens, so their ears and eyes won’t be hurt by bright light or loud noise. The mother usually takes care of her kittens alone, while the father brings her food. 

Looks

Cats have agile bodies and retractible claws. They have sharp teeth that they use to trap, kill and eat prey. They can see in the dark. This is because while they are in the light, cats store it in their irises so their eyes shine in the dark. 

They can have long or short fur, and there are millions of different breeds, such as the curly-coated Rex cat, the Tortoiseshell, the haughty-looking Persian, and so on. They have large, pointed ears for pin-pointing prey in the wild. Cats can even be thought to be sleeping, when they’re actually listening to everything you say!

Cats can smell extraordinarily well. They have long, silky tails, except for the stumpy-tailed Minx.

Lifespan

Cats can live about 12 or 15 years.


Here is a link to an awesome movie about wildcats! 

Blue-footed boobies

Blue-footed boobies are called "boobies" because they are clumsy. They are clumsy on land, but not in the sky.

Feeding

Blue-footed boobies eat fish, hunting them by diving down from the sky or sitting on the water waiting for a school of fish to swim by.

Habitat

Blue-footed boobies are marine birds. They nest on rocky ledges, and spend their days flying above the ocean and resting on islands. 

Breeding

To attract a female, the male will spread his wings and stamp his feet to try and impress her. Once they have mated and built a nest, the pair take turns sitting on the eggs. When they are two months old, baby Boobies can take care of themselves.

Looks

Blue-footed boobies are white with brown and black streaks on their heads. They have long dark grey beaks and their yellow eyes are on either side of their head.

They have long, skinny wings and startling blue feet. Their feet darken in colour as they age. They breath through the edges of their mouths because their nostrils are closed permanently for diving.

Female Blue-footed boobies are a bit bigger than the male birds. 

There are different types of boobies, like Red-footed boobies and Brown boobies.

Lifespan

Wild Blue-footed boobies live an average of 17 years.