every single day I think about how american black vultures are known for engaging in interspecific allopreening (preening between different species)
and they have a specific relationship with crested caracaras, in which the black vultures assist them by not only preening them after meals but also leading them to food in the first place, while the caracaras assist the black vultures by acting as a warning signal in case of danger
and while this is more typical of black vultures, this is not common at all for any member of the falconidae family— it’s a special bond!
yet another post in favor of vultures everyone , hope you enjoy:) and I implore you to do some more research on these incredible birds !!
EDIT: I meant interspecific allopreening! excuse my typo!
EDIT 2: black vultures do not have a superior sense of smell to caracaras, sorry for the misunderstanding!
(an info-dump about one of the weirdest, most scientifically interesting birds we know of today!)
so, we’ve all heard about ratites, right?
well, maybe you don’t know them by name, but you’ve most certainly either heard about them or seen them at some point.
some commonly known members of the ratite group are species like ostriches, emus, and cassowaries— as shown below:
ratites are all flightless birds within the infraclass palaeognathae— the infraclass that none other than the (now extinct) moa and elephant bird belong to!
now, these birds all share very similar characteristics; they’re large, long-necked, and long-legged with big clawed feet. all of these birds are also diurnal— which means they’re primarily active during the day time, just like us!
however, there is one species in this infraclass that is not quite like the others..
the kiwi.
not only are kiwi significantly smaller than their fellow ratites, but they also happen to be nocturnal.
and despite being small, their eggs are incredibly large, taking up to around 20% of the kiwi’s body weight, which has caused a lot of rigorous debate between scientists on exactly why.
one outdated theory suggested that perhaps the kiwi had shrunk over time from previously being very large like its ratite relatives, while its egg remained big…. but this has been debunked in recent years.
the current consensus, while still a theory, is that the egg size has to do more with precocity than anything else;
kiwis are born precocial, which makes them pretty much immediately independent upon hatching, with the ability to run and feed themselves without the help of their parents.
modern DNA analysis suggests that the size of kiwi eggs is not just a left-over trait from ‘incomplete’ evolution, but instead the exact opposite— an evolved adaptation to ensure better chances of survival.
due to their sheer size, kiwi eggs house more yolk than average, which ends up keeping newly hatched kiwis nice and fed until they learn to forage food for themselves.
when mammals began to spread in new zealand, kiwis had way more predators to worry about, and it’s theorized that they were previously unequipped to deal with this startling introduction of land-predators, such as stoats and rats, that started feeding on their eggs.
this could explain why kiwi eggs have developed to be so large over time— they give the chicks plentiful nutrients and thicker shells to ensure a better chance of survival against predation.
so… yeah. kiwis produce monster eggs and no one fully knows why just yet. neat, huh?
and that’s not even where the weirdness ends, my friends!
on top of all of this, it’s been a running joke in the bird world that kiwis are ‘honorary mammals,’ not only because of their weirdly mammalian appearance, but also because of some of their atypical biological traits.
for instance, kiwis have an average body temperature of around 38 degrees celsius .. aka, 100 degrees fahrenheit.
while this is not typical at all for birds, this is very typical for mammals, which has stumped a lot of researchers over the years.
similarly, kiwis are also the only bird in the world with exposed nostrils at the end of their beak, which can help them detect prey by using scent instead of their vision, which is very poor.
so… yeah. kiwis are the nocturnal, freakish little cousins of some of the biggest, most dangerous birds on the planet, and scientists are, quite frankly, still a little weirded out by them.
the elusive palm cockatoo… an incredible, interesting bird that I hardly ever see anyone talk about.. so let’s take a moment and talk about them!
palm cockatoos, like other highly intelligent animals, have been observed crafting and using tools in the wild; they typically break off and carefully mold branches with their beaks, and then use them for.. well.. music!!
UNLIKE other animals, these cockatoos do not use these tools for foraging. Instead, they use these sticks to drum!
why? well.. it’s still a little puzzling!
it’s most likely that male palm cockatoos drum in order to not only show potential mates how strong they are, but also how hollow and livable their nesting space is.
it seems as though these cockatoos have a certain rhythm to their drumming, too, which causes scientists to speculate that it’s more deliberate than just a simple act of self enrichment.
regardless, palm cockatoos are super fun, and their drumming is quite impressive!! these guys can really groove!!
celebrate today by being the pesky (and lovable) little corvid you want to see in the world ! damn the man! dismantle the system! eat those peanuts and fetch those trinkets!
