25 Incredible Bird Facts That Help Learning Take Flight

Did you know birds are actually related to dinosaurs? These fascinating creatures come in all shapes and sizes. From parrots to sparrows, there are many types of beautiful birds that fly in the sky. Although it’s quite common to see birds, there is so much we don’t know about these winged creatures. Check out our list of 25 bird facts to find out more about our feathered friends!

Bird Facts for Kids

The smallest bird egg belongs to the hummingbird.

Birds’ eggs vary in sizes and shapes. The hummingbird’s egg is around the size of a coffee bean and half the weight of a paper clip.

The kiwi is the only wingless bird.

Although kiwis are classified as birds, they are wingless and therefore cannot fly. They are the national bird of New Zealand, the place they call home.

Chickens can communicate using over 200 different noises.

They can also pass down knowledge from generation to generation.

Male birds have colorful feathers to attract female birds.

On the contrary, female birds have neutral colors so they can be camouflaged in their nests for protection while raising their young.

Mockingbirds are known for imitating sounds.

They are mimicking the sounds of other birds and even insects.

Owls can turn their heads 270 degrees.

Owls’ eyes are immobile so they need to turn their heads to focus their eyes on prey.

A bird’s eyes take up 50% of their heads.

In comparison, our eyes take up about 5% of our heads. If our eyes were the size of bird’s eyes, they would be the size of baseballs.

Birds are descended from the theropod dinosaur.

Chickens are actually the closest living relative to the well-known T-rex.

Some birds live together as couples.

While most birds live alone, there are a few that live together as mates for their whole lives. Bald eagles, swans, and doves are just a few that have lifelong companions.

Birds have hollow bones.

Their bones are stronger than a mammal’s but not heavier. This allows them to fly.

There are about 10,000 species of birds.

Over time, there have been millions of bird species.

The ostrich is the largest bird.

Their eggs are the size of a cantaloupe, and they can grow to be 9 feet tall.

Birds don’t have teeth.

A special organ called the gizzard allows them to grind up their food after swallowing it whole.

Flamingos are born gray.

The flamingos we know are a bright-pink color, which is actually due to the food they eat that contains an orange pigment called beta carotene.

The albatross has the largest wingspan of all birds.

These huge seabirds are mainly found in the southern oceans.

The penguin is the only bird that cannot fly but can swim.

To make up for their lack of flying, penguins are speedy swimmers. They can swim underwater at speeds of up to 15 to 25 miles per hour.

The hooded pitohui is the only poisonous bird in existence.

Native to New Guinea, this bird’s feathers and skin are poisonous to the touch.

Some birds have excellent hearing.

Many nocturnal birds that hunt at night have great hearing. This includes owls, who hear mice or small mammals crawling on the ground before actually seeing them.

A bird’s beak tells us how it eats.

Meat-eating birds such as eagles and owls have curved beaks, whereas a hummingbird has a long beak in order to drink nectar.

The goose was the first bird to be domesticated by humans.

Geese were kept for their meat or down feathers.

Some breeds of chickens can lay colorful eggs.

Barred Rock, Easter Egg, and Maran are a few types of hens that lay different-colored eggs. The eggs can be blue, green, or even pink.

Many birds eat twice their weight in food every day.

The smaller the bird, the more food it needs to eat. Birds eat more than a human baby or a cat.

Some ducks sleep with one eye open.

This is to protect against predators. While they are still able to sleep, they are also on the lookout for other animals at the same time.

Pigeons delivered the results of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece.

These messenger birds were also used to deliver military messaging during World War II.

Communities of crows can hold grudges for generations.

Crows are some of the smartest animals known to man. They can even create and use tools.

What are your favorite bird facts? Share them in the comments below!

For more amazing animal trivia, check out our list of animals facts for kids.