Most birds can fly, and flying is already a very effective defense against predators. Butof the 10,000 bird species today, of course, there are several species that have a "uniqueness" tesrsendiri of their defense system. Here is a fraction of the birds with an unusual defense mechanism.
1. Hooded Pitohu
Hooded Pitohui found in New Guinea, their defense against predators that despite their simple but amazing thing is poisonous. Pitohui take some kind of beetle that contain a strong neurotoxin and contains an alkaloid known as batrachotoxin (toxins are also found on the skin of poison dart frogs of South America). By eating beetles, birds become toxic, toxin they are on their own fur and leather. They are really known by locals as "rubbish bird", because of their toxicity makes them unlikely to be eaten unless they removed the skin and fur. Hooded Pitohuis touching can cause numbness and tingling, skin burns and sneezing (as reported by the scientists who deal with the creature), whereas they might be consuming far more dangerous. To warn the nature of its toxicity, this bird has a bright orange color and black colors which allows candidates to recognize predators. And the Hooded Pitohuis believed that the toxin can rub the eggs and their children to protect them from predators.
2. African White Masked Owl
This small owl little known to the public after recently when a Japanese TV showfeaturing an extraordinary method of defense. If approached by an enemy of smallbirds may hiss to make himself look bigger and fiercer, this is a general defensivemethods between the owl and it seems to be enough to scare his enemies. However,when dealing with larger enemy's more powerful, the owl is not trying to intimidate herthat way, but flatten the hair and squinting so that his eyes almost invisible to predators.By moving the bird to do something to resemble tree stumps or tree branches, such asPotoo, escape the attention of larger predators.
3. Potoo
Often found in Mexico, Central and South America, this bird is a strange nocturnalpredator is also known as "Ghost Bird", because of their remarkable camouflage.Potoo eat insects, small flying animals such as bats and small birds. In the daytimepotoo perched in a tree and remain truly moving and imitating the dead tree stumps orlike a broken stump. Its fur resembles the bark and the eyelid has a slit that allowed her to see even when blindfolded. Potoo usually will keep moving even when approached by another animal (or human) and they only fly when they feel that they have beenknown to disguise. Camouflage is so good, however, they are almost never found andthey have almost no predators. It also makes it very difficult for us Potoo observe. At night Potoo can only be found because her eyes reflect light, shining like a cat and owl.
4. Hoatzin
Found in the rainforests of South America, hoatzin once believed to be "living fossils".This is reflected in many ways, for example, it feeds on leaves of trees, a very peculiar diet for a bird and fermentation using bacteria to digest food, like cows. Because of this, hoatzin has a very stinging smell like manure. But the terrible odor hoatzin is no reason why he was included in this list. Hoatzin usually build their nests in the branches of trees hanging over the water. When disturbed or threatened by a predator, then the child hoatzin jump into the water to escape. They are swimmers and divers are very good and when the danger has passed, they can climb trees and go back to the nest.To do this, hoatzin child has 2 claws on each wing, reminiscent of those of the feathered Archaeopteryx and the other, rather bird-like dinosaurs. Only hoatzin young have claws, they disappear and can escape predators by flying. Hoatzin has become the object of debate among scientists since its discovery in 1776.
5. Ferruginous Pygmy Owl
Although owls are usually known to prey on mice and other rodents, it turns out theyalso hunt each other owls and the smallest are usually afraid of owls, when they see an owl during the day (when the owls tend to be less willing to make a surprise attack),they scramble to bother to push it away. This behavior is known as "mobbing". This owlis a skilled bird hunters, taking prey up to twice the size of their own, and therefore they are feared by all other small birds in their territory. Of course this is very dangerous forsmaller species such as Ferruginous Pygmy Owl. To protect themselves frommobbing, this bird has 2 spots on the back of his head that resembles the eye. It'senough to deter most small birds, because they usually will not attack an owl who sawtheir direction. If faced a larger bird, surrender may be better.
6. Eurasian Cuckoo
The Eurasian Cuckoo commonly known as bird lays its eggs in the nests of other birds.When the child was born, he destroys the eggs of birds actually nest inhabitants, thuseliminating any competitors and growing faster than the child of his adoptive parents.To protect themselves from threats, female cuckoo has developed a performance veryreminiscent of a Sparrow Hawk, a raptor that eat small birds. And supported by thesimilarity of the two. Disguised as a Sparrow Hawk, Cuckoo can scare other birds tostay away from their nests. During the fake Sparrow Hawk was there, other birds willnot dare return to their nests, and cuckoo can lay eggs without a problem. There areseveral other species that mimics the way the cuckoo but not only imitate an eagle, likeHawk-Cuckoodi South Asia that mimics the kind of local sparrows, to the style of flying and even how to perch.
7. Burrowing Owl
Burrowing Owl is found in grasslands and deserts from Canada to Patagonia. They nest in burrows and often use the abandoned burrows of other animals, but if they can not find an empty hole, they can also dig your own hole. Burrowing Owl Children are often left alone in a rut and have to hunt alone. During this time, the child vulnerable to predators like foxes, coyotes, raccoons and house cats. In order to keep the enemy away, burying children Burrowing Owl has developed a process of mimicry. When they feel threatened (for example, if the animal began to dig at the entrance of the burrow), the child produces hiss like a snake call when warned of his enemy. Because of the highly venomous viper known to hide in burrows, most predators (including humans), preferring to run away as soon as they hear it. Their defense mechanism is one of the most efficient among birds, but has a weak point, there is no point in fighting an actual rattlesnake. Hi It certainly can not deceive them and the fact that rattlesnakes are deaf.
8. Killdeer
Killdeer is a rather noisy birds and are often found in Canada, the United States andMexico. They nest in the ground so that the eggs and anakannya very vulnerable topredators. To protect their nests, adult killdeer has developed a clever technique, when the land predators such as foxes, cats or dogs approached the nest, adult birds will move away from the nest, dragging one of its wings as if it was deer and pretended toseek help. Most predators will go after the adults who seem helpless, and then withoutrealizing the predator has been far from the nest. After the adults feel safe flying soon.As for the kids killdeer, they will run away when the predator distracted by the adult
9. Hoopoe
Found in Africa, Europe, Asia, and was recently elected as Israel's national bird.Hoopoes have special glands near the anus, which produce a foul-smelling substance.The bird is rubbing these substances on the feathers, which will cover the entire bodywith a smell similar to rotten meat. Not many predators attracted to eat birds thatstinks. This substance has two functions, it acts as a parasite repellent and as an antibacterial agent and protects birds from various diseases. Interestingly, theseliquids produces adult hoopoes only when incubating eggs, after his son left the nest,he stopped producing this substance. The hoopoe is small, they have their ownmethods of defense, when threatened, they spray feces right into the predator's face.And this is a very effective technique to ward off unwanted visitors
10. Fulmar
Fulmar is the sort of sea birds. Fulmar comes from the Norse word, meaning "foul gull".These birds are known for their foul odor, not just the stench of bodies, even their eggs are too smelly. Fulmar egg shells which is housed in one of the museum collections stillsmell after 100 years of storage. Unable to fly or flee from danger, fulmar chicksdevelop an amazing defense mechanism. When threatened, they sort of liquid spewingbright orange oil which not only smells bad, but also stick to fur of prey. This oil makespredatory bird feathers get entangled, so the loss of their insulating properties anddrown if submerged in water. This makes it dangerous for fulmar child predators. Thefulmar have fur that is "immune" to oil, this is very important because not only spit onfulmar child predators, but on approaching any animal, including holding their own, theyonly begin to recognize their mothers when they were about 3 weeks.
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar