11 Questions About Birds Answered: Quick Facts

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Photos

Prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus)

Three eastern white pelicans with black-tipped wings take off from a muddy shoreline, wings outstretched, with blurred green vegetation in the background.

A flock of emperor penguins on an ice field

snow geese (Chen caerulescens)

Illustrations of eight bird heads, each showing a different bill shape adapted for feeding: a hooked bill for tearing flesh on a red-tailed hawk, a cone-shaped bill for cracking seeds on a northern cardinal, a flat bill for catching fish on a roseate spoonbill, a spear-like bill for jabbing prey on a great blue heron, a chisel-like bill for digging insects on a northern flicker, a large pouch bill for scooping fish on a brown pelican, a narrow bill with toothlike edges for catching fish on a hoo

Osprey catching a fish.

A peacock stands with its vibrant green and blue tail feathers fully fanned out in display, showing eye-like patterns across the plumage.

Costa's hummingbird

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