5 FUN FACTS ABOUT BIRDS

1.The earliest known bird, Archaeopteryx lithographica, lived about 150 million years ago during the Jurassic Period.

Archaeopteryx possessed a blend of reptilian and avian characteristics. It had feathers and wings but instead of a bill it had a reptilian snout. Archaeopteryx did not have a keeled breastbone, a key feature for flight, so scientists are uncertain whether it was capable of true flight or if it merely glided.

A total of ten Archaeopteryx fossil specimens have been unearthed over the years. All of these fossils were recovered from the limestone deposits in quarries near Solnhofen, Germany. The first Archaeopteryx skeleton, now known as the "London Specimen", was discovered in 1861.

2.Hummingbirds is the only bird that can fly backwards

Hummingbirds beat their wings as fast as 50 times per second, the fastest of any bird on the planet. This speedy wing beat, plus a rotating wrist joint, allows a hummingbird to hover in place, to fly backwards and upside down, and to catch tiny flying insects. 

3.The all eater

Roadrunners eat almost anything they can catch: lizards and snakes, small rodents, scorpions and tarantulas, and large insects. They'll even leap up to catch hummingbirds at nectar feeders. 

4.The sign of spring

Robins are often considered the first sign of spring, but not all robins leave their home range in winter, so their appearance is not really a sign of spring.

5.The great ''swallower''

A barn owl can swallow a large rat whole. After digesting its meal, the owl coughs up a pellet containing the rat's bones and fur.