Post by TavKat on Dec 17, 2006 0:43:47 GMT -5
Yesterday I questioned Fan's knowledge of nature by indicating that she must be mistaken of the type of bird she saw as something other then the Kingfisher.
How can a Kingfisher possibly be as big as she described? Well guess what....my knowledge of this bird was limited by thinking all Kingfishers must be of the type here in Northwest Ohio.
I was WRONG
As proof that there are many different types of this bird I offer the following evidence...
I will never question my Almighty Sister in her knowledge of conservation again as it is far superior to mine! ;D
-TavKat
How can a Kingfisher possibly be as big as she described? Well guess what....my knowledge of this bird was limited by thinking all Kingfishers must be of the type here in Northwest Ohio.
I was WRONG
As proof that there are many different types of this bird I offer the following evidence...
[glow=red,2,300]Courtesy of San Diego Zoo[/glow] Class: Aves (Birds) Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae Genus: 17 genera Species: 92 species Height: largest—laughing kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae, up to 18 inches (46 centimeters); smallest—African dwarf kingfisher Ceyx lecontei, 3.9 inches (10 centimeters) Weight: largest—laughing kookaburra, up to 17 ounces (490 grams); smallest—African dwarf kingfisher 0.3 to 0.4 ounces (9 to 12 grams) Life span: up to 15 years Number of eggs: 2 to 10, usually 3 to 6 Incubation: 2 to 4 weeks, depending on species Age of maturity: about 1 year Conservation status: the Marquesas kingfisher Todiramphus godeffroyi and the Micronesian kingfisher Todiramphus cinnamomina are endangered, 7 species are listed as vulnerable due to habitat loss. Fun facts • The most famous kingfisher is Australia’s laughing kookaburra. It gets its name from its call, which sounds like laughter. Kookaburras make this call in pairs or groups, most often at dusk and dawn. An Australian Aborigine legend says that the gods chose the kookaburra to wake the people and animals at the start of each day. • Sacred kingfishers Todiramphus sanctus are aggressive and fearless in defending their nests. They have been known to attack animals that come too close, like weasels, cats, dogs, and other birds. • When a common kingfisher Alcedo atthis dives after a meal, it often submerges completely in the water, folding its wings backward to create a V shape. It can even dive straight through a layer of thin ice to catch a fish below! • Many kingfishers can eat prey that seem too large to fit in their mouths. For example, the Amazon kingfisher Chloroceryle amazona has a bill about 2.8 inches (7 centimeters) long but can eat a fish that is 6.7 inches (17 centimeters) long! |
I will never question my Almighty Sister in her knowledge of conservation again as it is far superior to mine! ;D
-TavKat