• Interesting Facts about Amphibians (3)
• Interesting Facts about Birds (22)
• Interesting Facts about Fishes (9)
• Interesting Facts about Mammals (48)
• Interesting Facts about Reptiles (16)

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Macaws

DESCRIPTION: Macaws are typically large, brightlycolored parrots with long tail feathers. The characteristic that distinguishesmacaws from other members of the parrot family is their bare facial areas thatvary in size and pattern according to different species. SIZE:   Macaws range in size from the 30 cm. Hahn's macaw (Aranobilis nobilis) to the largest of all parrots, the hyacinth macaw(Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), which can reach a size of approximately 102 cm. WEIGHT: Hyacinth macaws weigh approximately1550-1600 g FUN FACTS: Macaws are a large group of birds inPsittacidae, the parrot family. More commonly seen large macaws include themilitary (Ara militaris), scarlet (A. macao),blue & gold (A. arauna), and green-winged macaw (A. chloroptera). Macaws are social birds and typicallyform strong, monogamous pair bonds. They usually nest in the hollows of treeshigh off the ground or in the sides of cliffs. Both parents defend their eggsand chicks aggressively. They are often seen flying in large flocks and thebonded pairs fly close together, their wings nearly touching. In the wild, macaws often flock tomountains of clay known as "macaw licks". When disturbed, these bright birdsscreech loudly and circle overhead with their long tails streaming. Macaws are playful and inquisitive andare able to mimic human vocalizations very well. Macaws are extremely messy eaters -their incredibly strong beaks are perfectly adapted for eating all sorts ofnuts and seeds, as seen in their ability to crack open incredibly hard-shellednuts with ease. Macawsare able to reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.

Magpie Goose, Pied Goose

DESCRIPTION: This is a large black and white goosewith a long neck. It has white on the back, shoulders, rump, breast and bellyand black on the head, neck, wings and tail. This species of goose has aprominent, rounded knob on its forehead and naked red skin on the face. Thebeak is small with a slight hook at the end. FUN FACTS: Magpie geese often breed in triosrather than pairs. Two females lay their eggs on a floating platform of reedsmade by a single male. After the eggs hatch, the three parents feed the chicksby bending tall grasses over with their feet so the goslings can eat the seeds. Unlike most waterfowl, magpie geese donot loose (molt) their flight feathers all at once therefore they are neverleft flightless. Some scientists believe that this makes the magpie goose moreclosely related to screamers than are other waterfowl. Theyare not closely related to true ducks, and are the only known waterfowl to feedtheir young.

Mynah

DESCRIPTION: The golden-crested mynah is a smallbird with a bright yellow crest that lays flat against its head. This speciesalso has a blackish back and wings and an orange beak. SIZE: Approximately 21.59 cm in length FUN FACTS: Mynahs are able to learn to mimic humanvoices or any sounds they choose. The word "mynah" derives fromthe Sanskrit madana meaning joyful or delightful, which is derived from theroot meaning "bubbles". So the derived word "mynah" means"bubbling with joy". Mynahstend to build their nests in holes, preferably tree cavities, but alsosometimes in cliff sides, walls or even sometimes in holes in rooftops.

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