Tag Archives: birds

Why Do Birds Flock Together At Sunset?

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Birds of a feather flock together. Though this phrase might not always apply to people, this applies very well to birds. When you are outside during the evening, as the sun sets, you might notice a swarm of birds chirping and gathering as they migrate in the sky. Adding to the nostalgic atmosphere as the sun sets and the day comes to an end, this swarm of birds, also known as a murmuration, occurs when a large group of birds, such as starlings, crows, and pigeons etc, gather together when the sun sets. The reason for their gathering together in these flocks, especially during the evening when the sun begins to set, is due to various reasons. One reason for this is due to the birds’ ways of living. In comparison to nocturnal animals such as bats, raccoons, beavers, etc, most birds are diurnal, meaning they are active in the day and sleep during the night. In the morning, most birds leave their nests and migrate in order to do their daily living activities, such as hunting, for example, and when the sun sets, the birds migrate back to their nests. When the sun sets, it’s a signal to the birds that it’s about to turn night and there will be no more daylight. For birds, this means the day is coming to an end, so they gather with other birds and flock back to their nests to rest for the day. They often do this in a large swarm, ranging from small groups of about 30 birds to large groups of about 100+ birds.  They gather together due to mainly due to one reason. Predators. When a bird is by itself flying back to its nest, it makes it easier for predators to target them and attack them; however, when birds are together in a swarm, it creates this black shadowed figure in the sunset sky, which makes them appear to be a large predator, deterring predators. In the winter, however, birds gather in flocks due to the cold. In the winter, the cooler temperatures decrease the temperature in birds. In order to stay warm, the birds typically gather in flocks.  In addition to this, the bird calls, which can be heard during sunset time, are the birds communicating with each other, communicating with each other that it’s time to go home. Thus, next time you see a bunch of birds flocking together during the evening, you’ll know the reason why!

Top 3 birds

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Birds are cool. Everyone knows that. But the real question is, what are the top 3 best birds?  That question I have already thought of, so here is the best bird trio.

Bird 1: Parrots

The first bird I will talk about are parrots. Parrots are quite different from other birds, although it might not seem like that at first. One way Parrots are different is because they are incredibly smart compared to many other birds and other animals. Part of how they become smarter is because they often replicate other sounds they hear, and it helps them learn quickly. An example of parrots copying sounds is when they hear what humans say, and they are able to repeat the words they hear. In fact, Parrots are the only animals that are able to talk. So, this is why parrots are one of the coolest and smartest birds of all time!

Bird 2: Ducks

Now, for the second bird, ducks. Ducks are very diverse animals, with over 100 different species, and all of them have waterproof feathers and webbed to help them swim… and they all eat rocks. The stones and pebbles that ducks eat are then gastroliths, which is a small rock used to help with digesting food. The ducks find these small stones usually by digging in mud. They also like to dig in the mud because the vibration makes the bugs come out to the surface, so the ducks can eat them. Once the rock is too smooth and isn’t good to digest food, the duck vomits the rock out, so the rock comes out smooth. Ducks also have a way of communication, which isn’t just quacks, as many people think. However, ducks making quack sounds is very common for ducks to do, but it is mostly used when the mother duck is calling her ducklings. They also squeak when danger is coming, and whistle in the morning sometimes to show they are happy and positive, and a couple other sounds.

Bird 3: Penguins

Last but not certainly least, penguins. One of the major differences between penguins and many other birds is that penguins can’t fly. But since they can’t fly, the do something called Tobogganing, where the penguin slides on its belly. This helps them move faster than waddling, and it conserves their energy, too. Penguins are also the fastest swimming birds in the world, specifically the Gentoo penguin, reaching speeds of 22 miles per hour. Penguins usually stick together in very large groups, and huddle together to share their body heat to get warmth.

Parrots, ducks, and penguins. These are the best 3 birds in my opinion for many reasons. Whether it is the interesting facts, or how they are funny and cute, I will always appreciate these three birds.

Want to read more about birds? Books about birds are available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.