Birds

About Birds

Some of the brightest colors you’ll see in nature, and at the Zoo, are on the feathers of beautiful birds. All birds are covered in feathers, and most (but not all) birds can fly. These feathers serve a number of purposes. Those soft, small feathers that make baby birds look cute and fuzzy are down feathers – adult birds can have them, too. They are great for keeping birds warm. Flight feathers are found on the tail and wings of a bird, and they are used to fly. Decorative feathers, like on the tail of a peacock, are used to attract mates and scare off predators.Female birds lay eggs and protect them in a nest by sitting on them. Great hornbill birds have an incredible story: the female lays eggs inside a nest that is enclosed in a cavity, seals herself in with mud, and the male feeds her through a small hole in the sealed nest. She can be in there for up to 4 months until the eggs hatch and the baby birds are ready to greet the world!

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