The Quetzal: One of the Most Beautiful Birds

Sacred to ancient Mesoamerican people, gorgeously plumed quetzals live in the mountains of Central America.

Photo from Animalposts.blogspot.com

During mating season, male quetzals grow twin tail feathers that form an amazing train up to three feet (one meter) long. Females do not have long trains, but they do share the brilliant blue, green, and red coloring of their mates. Male colors tend to be more vibrant.

Purple Martins Have Help Finding Homes

Putting up Martin houses used to be so common that John James Audubon used them to choose his lodgings for the night. In 1831, he remarked, “Almost every country tavern has a martin box on the upper part of its sign-board; and I have observed that the handsomer the box, the better does the inn generally prove to be.”

Image from All About Birds

Native Americans used to hang up empty gourds for Purple martins before Europeans arrived in North America. Purples Martins in eastern North America now nest almost exclusively in birdhouses, but birds in the west use mostly natural cavities. 

How Animals Keep Their Cool

Now that summer’s here, a lot of us probably plan on spending our free time at the pool. When it’s hot outside, nothing’s better than jumping into some nice, cool water to relax. But, when a/c or an ice-cold dip isn’t an option, our bodies still find a way to keep us cool; we sweat. Animals in the wild don’t have the option to crank up the air conditioner when they get too hot, so they’ve developed their own ways to cool down.

Photo: CoolFox

Now, we all know that dogs will pant when they get hot, as their tongues are very effective at releasing heat from their bodies, but did you know they also sweat from their feet? Dogs don’t have a lot of sweat glands like we do, but if overheated they can sweat from between their toes. Other mammals such as squirrels sweat in this same way. Cows can sweat from their muzzles, and rabbits sweat from their lips, though neither nearly as much as humans. Birds have no sweat glands at all, so they will flare their feathers and open their mouths in hot weather to increase their surface area and evaporate water from the surface of their bodies.


Photo: Rene Modery

 Have you ever heard the phrase “sweating like a pig”? Well, that’s not really possible, because pigs don’t sweat at all. To regulate their body temperatures, pigs have to roll in mud or water, which draws the heat from their bodies. They look like a mess, but they’re just trying to stay cool!


Photo: Andrew Smith

Cold-blooded animals such as reptiles, amphibians, and fish have body temperatures that are the same as the air or water around them, and do not sweat. Land-going reptiles that are too hot will do their best to find shade or burrow into cool soil. If shade is not available, some have the ability to lighten their skin color, making it more reflective. Fish often seasonally migrate to deeper, cooler waters to regulate their temperatures.

Photo: Phillip Halling

Of course, we’re not the only ones who enjoy a nice swim in hot weather. Have a safe and happy summer!


Photo: Wen-Yan King



Laughter-Like Call is Bushman's Clock

The laughing kookaburra is native to Australia. It sings its laughter-like call at dawn and dusk, which earned it the nickname "bushman's clock." It is the largest member of the Kingfisher family and is a well known symbol in Australia's birdlife.

Baltimore Orioles Protect Young

The Baltimore oriole is Maryland's state bird, and also the name of its professional baseball team. Female Baltimore orioles create unique, hanging nests for their eggs. When they hatch, both parents feed and protect their young for up to two weeks.

Pictured: A father oriole is taking care of its young.

Greater Rheas Lay Eggs

The greater rhea is the largest bird in South America. Related to the ostrich and emu, the greater rhea cannot fly. This polygamous bird does lay several eggs though. Females lay one egg every other day for seven to 10 days. Because males have several mates, and the females put their eggs in the same nest, which sometimes holds up to 50 eggs. The male is in charge of incubating the eggs of all its mates for six weeks, until the young are hatched.

Woodpeckers Prevent Headaches

Although you might think a woodpecker would have chronic headaches from all its drilling, it actually has little air pockets in its head that prevent any discomfort. These pockets act as a cushion to its head bones, allowing it to drill to gather food and to create nests.

Ospreys Swoop for Food

Ospreys are the most widespread birds of prey because they can be found on every continent, except Antarctica. Ninety-nine percent of their diet is made up of fish. Their feet have gripping pads, which allow them to swoop down from heights of 30 to 100 feet and pick up their prey in a matter of seconds. Once they retrieve a fish, though, they sometimes fly for great distances before actually eating it.

Common Loon Dives Deep

The common loon is a bird named after the way it awkwardly walks when on land. It’s a migratory bird that often lives in North America’s Pacific and Atlantic coasts, as well as in Europe and Iceland. They are strong divers that can actually dive more than 200 feet below the water’s surface in search of food.

Birds of Paradise Dance for Mates

Birds of Paradise are some of the world’s most attractive and unique-looking birds. Their bright colors and long, ruffled feathers make them stand out. Even their mating rituals are one of a kind. To gain attention from females, the males engage in various dances and rituals to flaunt their appearance even more. These performances can last hours and often consume a large portion of the male’s time. Watch the video below to see what I'm talking about:

Blue Feet Attract Mate

The blue-footed booby has some attractive feet — at least to its female counterpart. The male blue-footed booby takes pride in its blue feet because they are a big part of its mating ritual. Apart from their vivacious color — the bluer the feet the more attractive the mate — they show off their feet in a high-stepping walk to attract females. However, these feet aren’t just for show; they can also be used to cover the up their chicks and keep them warm.

Pairing Up

Who ever said different species don’t get along? While researching for this blog, I stumbled upon some of these photos of strange animal pairings. They were too funny not to show, so check them out and have a good chuckle!

Mouse and Frog

Turtle and Hippo

Pony and Cat

Bird and Mouse

The Giant Albatross

The albatross has the longest wingspan of any bird — up to 11 feet. This, and the fact that it can weigh up to 22 pounds, makes it among the largest of flying birds. They can also live for up to 50 years, which is very rare for a bird.


The albatross has been know as a symbol of misery and burden for centuries, due to its significant role in the poem "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." A ship driven off course is lead out of the Antarctic by an albatross, who is then shot by one of the sailors. Afterwards, the ships wanders into uncharted territory, where it stops moving. The angry crew forces the sailor who shot the albatross to wear it around his neck to "illustrate the burden he must suffer for killing it."

Fun Hummingbird Facts

* Hummingbird’s consume half of their weight in food daily.

* Hummingbirds are found only in North America and South America.

* Hummingbirds travel at an average 25 miles per hour, with wingbeats of anywhere from 10-15 per second in the Giant Hummingbird, up to 80 per minute by the Amethyst Woodstar.

* A hummingbird can starve to death in as little as two hours, if still active.

* Hummingbirds are so small, that an insect, the Praying Mantis is its natural enemy.

* It's the only bird that can hover, and fly backwards as well as straight up or down.

* Hummingbirds can't walk.

Need facts about another animal? Visit The Jungle Store's Animal Facts Page! If you still can't find what you're looking for, email info@thejunglestore.com with your questions.

If Animals Competed In The Summer Olympics: Aquatics

With the Summer Olympics coming up in 3 weeks, I thought it would be fun to see which animals would most likely win which sports events. If you visit the official Olympics Web site, you can see a list and descriptions of the sports and disciplines we will see in the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Today, let's investigate which animals would win in the aquatics sports of diving, swimming, and synchronized swimming.

The anhinga would win gold in the diving competitions, with its graceful movements both in and out of water. Anhingas dive and pursue fish underwater, propelled by their feet, their wings often partly spread. Anhingas often swim with the body submerged and head and neck above the water, slowly submerging to stalk fish, hence the nickname "snakebird".

The sailfish would take the lead in the swimming races. It is the fastest animals in the water at 70 miles per hour (113 km per hour) – the same speed in the water as cheetahs attain on land.

As for synchronized swimming events, schooling fish would most certainly win. Schooling fish respond quickly to changes in the direction and speed of their neighbors. Anyone who has seen a school of fish can attest to their ability to change direction swiftly while still retaining their closely knit swimming pattern. They can move from one configuration to another and then regroup almost as one unit.

Beyond Dorothy And Toto: Kansas' Indigenous Birds

Having grown up in Kansas and lived here my whole life, I take for granted many things about this flat state that I call home. Many people who have never been to Kansas also have a preconception about Kansas - mainly, that it's boring. This week I would like to challenge that notion by exploring the indigenous animals of Kansas. Today, I am going to cover the indigenous birds of Kansas.

Western Meadowlark

The western meadowlark is the state bird. This charming bird has all over brown and black coloring except for its bright yellow chest that has a black V on it. The song of the western meadowlark is a series of flute-like gurgling notes that go down the scale. The western meadowlark lives in meadows, plains, prairies and other open grasslands. This bird usually eats insects, although it will, on occasion, eat seeds.

The female finds a depression in the ground and builds a nest by digging in the dirt with her bill. She lines the depression with soft grass and forms a roof by pulling grass and plants over the depression. She then weaves in grass to make a waterproof dome, leaving enough space for an opening. The male protects the nest by noisily chasing intruders away.

Prairie Chickens

Kansas has the largest flock of prairie chickens remaining on the North American continent. Prairie chickens were once abundant, but have become extremely rare in most places due to habitat loss. One of the most noteworthy facts about this species is its mating ritual called 'booming' - the males inflate the air sacs located on the side of their necks and snap their tails to attract females.

Eskimo Curlew

The Eskimo curlew is another Kansas bird, which is a New World bird. Members of this species bred on the tundra of western arctic Canada and Alaska. One of the most important food sources was the Rocky Mountain Locust Melanoplus spretus. This species extinction circa 1902 may be a partial cause of the Eskimo Curlew's decline. Habitat destruction at wintering grounds in the Pampas is also implicated as preventing any recovery.

Whooping Crane

The whooping crane is an endangered species named after its whooping call. It is one of only two crane species found in North America. These majestic birds forage while walking in shallow water or in fields, and they are omnivorous. Click here to hear the sound of a whooping crane.

Symbiosis - Badgers and Birds

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Jungle Jane. Do mutually beneficial symbiotic relationships always involve cleaning?" And I answer, "No." We have been looking at symbiotic relationships that are considered mutualistic—each species benefiting from the other. A lot of these happen to be of the "cleaning" variety, especially among fish. The type of symbiosis we'll look at today is called Commensalism, meaning, "at table together."

My favorite example of this symbiotic relationship is the cooperation found between the Honeyguide bird, a small, dull-colored bird, and the Ratel, also known as the Honey Badger. I'm sure you've caught the similar word in their names and yes, the sweet stuff happens to be their treat of choice. Both the honeyguide and the ratel prefer honey, combs, bees and larvae to just about anything else. Problem is, alone neither is really up to the task of procuring it. The honeyguide can find a bee hive, but hasn't the size or strength to take on the multitudes within. The ratel is like other badgers, tough and strong with sharp, raking claws. The ratel can certainly break into a hive; it just can't find one easily. Once a honeyguide finds a hive, it starts looking for a honey badger. Making a clattering fuss, the bird gets the badger's attention and starts a slow, flitting process back towards the hive, making sure the badger is following. There is not doubt, that the honeybird is leading the ratel. Once there, the ratel decimates the hive, tearing it to pieces and feasting on the goodies within. The honeyguide bird usually waits until the badger's frenzy is done before helping itself to the left-over wax, honey and larvae.

Animal Architects - the Bowerbird

There's been so much talk in the news regarding the housing market that I thought we might take a look at animal housing. Or, more appropriately, animal architects. This week we're going to focus on what kind of brilliant construction projects are out there and why and how animals create them.

Our first architect is the Bowerbird. A truly amazing little fellow, they are generally about the size of a pigeon. The builder among these birds is the male and he builds his remarkable structure to attract the attention of a female. Bowerbirds don't live in the bower, or nest and raise young there. The construction is all for the purpose of attraction and mating – a genuine "bachelor pad."

Depending on species, bowerbirds will build one of 3 different types of bower – a "maypole", an "avenue", or a "mat." Mats are fairly simple constructions consisting of a cleared area, possibly padded with plants, and ringed by ornaments like flowers or leaves.

The "avenue" is more detailed. Twin walls of twigs are erected and decorated. Occasionally these walls will arch over the empty space and form a tunnel. Some species of bowerbirds use a leaf or twig to paint the inside of these walls with charcoal and saliva.

The most elaborate bowerbird creation is the "maypole." These constructions use the trunks of young trees as support and stretch a roof-like awning over a broad expanse of ground. The courtyard, as it is called, is heavily decorated with flowers, shells, pebbles, fruits and all manner of brightly colored objects. The male bowerbird carefully arranges all of these objects and removes wilted or unattractive items from the area. He will also plant a lawn of moss under and around his bower, perhaps to draw more attention to his collections. Interestingly, the duller the bowerbird's plumage, the more elaborate and colorful their creation.

What do female bowerbirds think of all this? Only 25% of females visit more than one male's bower before mating. Then the female is off to solitarily build a nest, hatch the eggs and raise the young. Thank goodness she can manage on her own because the males are so wrapped up with the construction, decoration and upkeep of their "pad," they would have no time. Maybe if they snagged one of our snazzy Jungle Store birdhouses they could share a little incubating duty.

Animals In Golf

Some animal references in golf aren't a good thing. You don’t want to be in the kitty litter or in the frog hair, but, when it comes to scoring, the more animals the better. Every course is laid out with 9 or 18 holes. Each hole is a different length from tee box to pin (or flag). The number of shots the course designers believe are necessary to make it from tee box to pin is called par. (Golf course designers are the most optimistic people on earth.)
If you hole out one shot below par, you've scored a "birdie." I remember the first time I had the opportunity to score a birdie. As I wasted time, pretending to study the putting green so I could calm my nerves, my sister said, "Hey. Did you know that if you make this putt, you'll make birdie. I don't think you've ever done that before." Needless to say, I still haven't.
If you sink your ball two strokes below par, you’ve Eagled. Makes sense. An eagle is a larger and grander animal than a mere birdie. So what is it when you shoot 3 strokes below par? Here in the United States, it is generally called a Double Eagle, but once upon a time it had a more interesting name. 3 under par used to be called an Albatross – a much larger and grander animal than a mere eagle.

When Samuel Coleridge wrote his poem, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” the albatross went from being a bird of good fortune to being an omen of misery, a burden. And so, an albatross in golf became a double eagle. After all, what golfer wants to hang an albatross on his score card? 

Photo: Gonzalo Vasquez

Meet the Staff

Do you know of any company pets? Surely you've walked into a little boutique or a quirky bookstore and been met by the cat, dog, budgie or bunny that thinks they run things. Interaction with animals reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and prolongs your good health. We, at the Jungle Store, take our health very seriously and so our President has made sure to give us plenty of company pets to keep us calm and happy.

Malcom likes to stay close by our office's front doors. He's great at letting us know when guests arrive.

We have to keep Norton and Bruno at opposite ends of the warehouse. They tend to fight. Once we installed the company pool though, Norton got a lot happier. He spends the majority of his day there. The staff won't swim with him anymore as he tends to splash.

Patty, Maxine and Laverne help us oversee climate control. They get rather territorial about that thermostat.

Last week it was my turn to sort out a brief altercation among the Jamison Brothers. I don't know how many times we have to say it. Everybody gets just one donut on Fridays.

Iggy spends the warmer part of the day keeping the parkway free of weeds. What would we do without him?

Susan tends to the landscaping. She'll probably need more staff before the summer is over.


Last but not least, when something absolutely, positively must be there overnight, we ask Spike to take it. He's got a way with big packages.

Happy April Fools