The hummingbird has the highest metabolic rate relative to size of any animal....
QUIZ WHIZ
1. Kiwis are often deaf.
2. Some birds can sleep while flying.
3. Many birds rub ants on their bodies.
4. Ostriches are the smartest birds on the planet.
5. Woodpeckers can peck over a dozen times a second.
6. Magpies steal shiny things.
7. The emu is the biggest bird in the world.
8. The hummingbird has the highest metabolic rate relative to size of any animal.
9. The hen’s stress level can affect the shell colour of its egg.
10. Owls can rotate their eyes.
1. False. But they can be blind. Their sight can be underdeveloped to the point that free-living blind kiwis have been observed in nature.
2. True. Especially useful for long-distance migrants, this ability lets birds briefly rest one half of their brain while the other half remains alert.
3. True. Observed in over 200 species, anting is a maintenance behaviour wherein birds rub insects on their body, possibly to apply beneficial secreted liquids such as formic acid, or to remove distasteful acids and make the insects more edible.
4. False. The ostrich isn’t exactly known for its intelligence! Two groups of birds are particularly well-known for being very smart: crows and parrots.
5. True. Woodpeckers can peck up to 20 times per second and can average around 12,000 pecks a day, moving their heads at speeds of 13 mph to 15 mph.
6. False. The myth of the thieving magpie may pervade folklore, but scientists have shown that they don’t steal such trinkets and are actually cautious around such objects.
7. False. The common ostrich is.
8. True. With their high levels of activity, hummingbirds can have a very high metabolism – around 100 times that of an elephant – and can have heart rates over 1000 beats per minute.
9. True. The colour of an eggshell is determined primarily by a hen’s genetics, but factors like diet, health, environment, and even stress can affect the intensity of the colour.
10. False. Owls can rotate their heads but cannot move their eyes. Their eyes are fixed in place, pointing straight ahead.
