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(#16) Woodpeckers Have To Store Their Tongues In Their Necks
Everyone knows that woodpeckers sport strong, long beaks that can peck right through tree bark. But these animals have yet another unusual feature: their tongues.
Not only is a woodpecker's tongue often covered with a sticky saliva and barbs, but it is also incredibly long. Some birds can even extend their tongues four inches in length. Because of this unusual size, a woodpecker tongue needs special storage and does not just sit in the mouth, like they do on humans. Instead, the woodpecker tongues curl back into a special compartment in the back of the bird's head between the skull and the skin for storage. Basically, a woodpecker stores his tongue in the back of its neck!
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(#3) Cassowaries Can Kill People
There is often a comparison drawn between birds and dinosaurs, and perhaps no creature embodies a modern-day dinosaur better than a cassowary. These Australian birds are brightly colored and have bony-looking heads in addition to massive clawed feet. In some cases, a cassowary's kick has broken bones, killed dogs, or just ripped into human flesh. But in 1926, the unthinkable happened. Philip and Granville McLean, a pair of teenage brothers, came across a cassowary and their dog attacked it. Granville was gravely injured, and as Philip tried to run away he fell. The bird attacked him, severing an artery in his neck with its feet. The boy bled to death quickly.
Luckily, cassowaries are unlikely to attack you unless you mess with them. Research has shown that the vast majority of attacks were caused because humans provoked the birds, tried to hurt them, or offered them food. In other words, leave them alone, and they won't kick-stab you in the neck.
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(#2) The Vampire Finch Survives On Blood
There are a few birds out there that are somewhat carnivorous, but few are as creepy as the vampire finch. These small birds live in the Galápagos, and feed in large part on the blood of other animals, including threatened blue-footed boobies. They peck at other birds until they bleed, and then they drink the blood as it flows. Weirdly enough, the blue-footed boobies don't seem to mind much, though we're not sure why. Other similar finches prefer to pick parasites off of other animals for nutrients, but the vampire finch has evolved to pecking past just the skin.
As an added creepy factor, it's also been shown that once a finch finds a victim they enjoy, they will actually return to the same animal multiple times to continue to feed. So, if a vampire finch decides you taste good, it'll be coming back for seconds.
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(#11) Turkey Vultures Projectile Vomit At Predators
All vultures may be creepy, but possibly none are more so than the turkey vulture. When these birds aren't eating, they are often looking for food or finding ways to protect their food from other scavengers. The turkey vulture also has a brilliant characteristic that allows it to do this with surprising, and disgusting ease.
When threatened, a turkey vulture will actually vomit up their food as a defense. They can do this with pretty decent aim, and can spew a chunk of food up to 10 feet away. Even babies are able to vomit as defense. Not only does this deter predators by being super gross and surprising, but it also can be genuinely painful. Turkey vulture stomach acid is incredibly strong, and can be harmful to the eyes, nose, and mouth of another animal. So, if you ever get the urge to mess with a vulture, remember that they do a valuable service to this world by cleaning up dead animals, but also remember that they will puke on you, and leave them alone.
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(#13) A Kiwi Can Lay An Egg A Quarter Of Its Own Body Size
The kiwi is an unusual little bird, not only because it cannot fly, but also because its reproduction is so extreme. When a kiwi lays an egg, that egg is incredibly large; so large that the finished product is sometimes up to one quarter the weight of the parent's entire body. To put this into perspective, if an ostrich laid an egg of this ratio, then ostriches would lay eggs that are more than 80 pounds. While the egg is still incubating inside the female kiwi, her body may also become up to 25% egg, a feat unmatched by pretty much any other animal.
Also keep in mind that a kiwi hen can lay up to 100 eggs in her lifetime. So, basically, mama kiwis are worthy of respect and probably a hug from anyone else who's ever been through childbirth. Unfortunately, the kiwi is currently a critically endangered species.
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(#4) More Than 10% Of Bird Species Are Endangered
Perhaps one of the saddest frightening facts about birds is that they are a dwindling group of animals. In 2016, 13 bird species were declared extinct, and many are still headed in that direction. The IUCN has recognized 742 bird species in recent years, and at least 11% of those species have been found to be threatened or endangered. This has to do with illegal trade, unsustainable agriculture, and even destruction of habitat and invasive species edging them out. There are around 10,000 known species of birds in the world, and well over 1,000 of them are endangered or threatened. That's about 12%, and that number may continue to grow in coming years. So, even if you find a bird creepy or scary, remember that the world would be a much more scary place without them.
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About This Tool
Under normal circumstances, most birds are harmless and gentle, such as swans, magpies, and ostriches. They are so cute that people can't help but want to touch them. However, many people overlook some important facts about birds. For example, owls are one of the most terrifying killers, they can turn their heads 270 degrees in any direction and eat the whole prey. Many birds in nature are highly dangerous. Once they are angered, the attack power of these birds is beyond our imagination.
The random tool introduced 18 terrifying facts about birds that most people never know. There are more than 5,000 bird species known in the world, but more than 10% of bird species are endangered. Humans should pay more attention to environmental protection and animal protection to maintain a good ecological balance.
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