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!