Blog Archives
Frigatebirds Facts and Frigatebirds Pictures
Frigatebirds get part of their food by pirate-like actions. They soar high above the tropical oceans until they see a booby, gull or pelican returning from a successful fishing trip. Then the frigatebirds start chasing their intended victim, even pulling at its wings, tail, or legs. Often the pursued bird will regurgitate the fish it … Continue reading
Pirarucu Facts and Pirarucu Pictures
Pirarucu are fresh-water fish found in the Amazon and other rivers of northern South America. They are among the largest freshwater fish in the world. A big pirarucu may weigh two hundred pounds and be seven feet long. Their name comes from the Portuguese “pira” meaning fish, and “rucu” meaning red. Actually their large scales … Continue reading
Wombat Facts and Wombat Pictures
Tm gentle little wombats are sometimes called the “badgers of Australia.” However they are totally unlike the tenacious, carnivorous badgers in almost every respect. The only habit the wombats and the badgers share is that of digging burrows in the ground. The wombat uses its sharp claws to dig a long and rather large burrow … Continue reading
Tasmanian Devil Facts and Tasmanian Devil Pictures
Tasmania is an island about the size of Ireland, one hundred and fifty miles off the southern coast of Australia. It was discovered by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642. In Tasmania there are low mountains, forests, swift rivers, and lakes. The eastern part of the island has areas of grassland. Settlers came to … Continue reading
Barn Owls Facts and Barn Owls Pictures
Barn owls have been called “feathered flying mousetraps,” which is a good description of them since they eat mice and rats almost exclusively. For this reason, barn owls are especially valuable to farmers. Of all the owls these are the most apt to take up living quarters in man-made dwellings such as barns, church belfries, … Continue reading
Jaguarundi Facts, Jaguarundi Pictures
Sometimes the fur of this small cat is grey and sometimes it is reddish-brown. People thought that these were two different animals and called the grey cat the jaguarundi and the reddish cat the eyra. Eventually scientists found that both cats were the same, regardless of the colour of their fur. Sometimes a reddish-brown female … Continue reading
Tapirs Facts and Tapirs Pictures
AT one time there were many tapirs living in the world. Fossils of them have been found in southern United States as well as in Europe. The four species of these mammals which exist in limited numbers today have changed very little from their ancestors that lived in the Pliocene Period. They are about the … Continue reading
Goldeneyes Facts and Goldeneyes Pictures
GOLDENEYES are diving ducks which nest in holes in trees, usually near a fresh-water pond or lake. The females lay from eight to twelve eggs in the nest and cover them with down. When the ducklings hatch, they remain in the nest for about two days. Then they jump down from the tree and follow … Continue reading