Monthly Archives: April 2014
154.WHAT IS AN OSPREY?
The common name for the osprey in the United States is “fish hawk.” This is a name that describes the habits of this bird. It is an amazingly keen-eyed bird of prey. It flies about at a height of l 5 or even 75 meters in the air, and watches the waters below. Suddenly it sees a fish close to the surface. The fish is so neutral in color that a human being on the shore wouldn’t even notice it! But the fish hawk sees it and plunges down to seize and hold the wriggling victim in its strong talons. Then the fish is carried away to some tree top to be devoured at leisure.
153.WHAT IS A TOUCAN?
One of the strangest-looking of all birds is the toucan. In fact, it’s a kind of freak among birds.
To begin with, the toucan has an enormous bill, actually larger than its head! In some toucans, the bill is a third of the length of the entire bird. This bill is shaped like a great lobster claw and is marked with bright colors.
152.WHAT IS A STORMY PETREL?
To begin with, the stormy petrel is a bird, but a rather unusual bird. It gets its name (“petrel”) from St. Peter. St. Peter is said to have walked on the water, and these birds seem able to do the same thing!
All we know is that they are web-footed birds (In fact, the smallest of all web-footed birds) and that they manage in some way to stay above the water as if they are “wa1king” on it.
