Category: Birds
Witnessing a flock of wild turkeys materialize from the dense forest understory is one of life’s more stirring events – and even more so if the observer is privileged to witness the dramatic visual and auditory display of a male striving to impress his hens and intimidate potential interlopers. They are a widespread species in North America, adaptable to a broad range of habitats as long there is coverage and abundant open spaces available.
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!
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Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
