Category: Birds
Also commonly known as the Quaker Parakeet, these small parrots originated in South America but exist in self-sustaining feral population throughout the world, most likely a result of released or escaped pets. They are considered agricultural pests in many places and the possession and selling of these birds is highly regulated. Nonetheless, they are extremely intelligent, engaging pets that are able to develop large vocabularies of words and phrases.
A Truly Amazing Race…
Many species of birds migrate when the weather changes, but some species take their journeys to extremes. The Arctic tern tops this list: it flies from the Arctic to Antarctic and back again every year of its life! In 2013, scientists tracked Arctic terns nesting in the Netherlands and discovered that they flew 56,000 miles per year! With a lifespan of approximately 30 years, this means these birds fly over 1.5 million miles over the course of their lives! Because the distance they migrate is so enormous, they don’t just get better weather and more abundant food each year, they get more daylight than any other animal on the planet!
Learn more >>
Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
