SAFE Kids – Explore – Behaviors - Birds Flight Mechanics

Behaviors

Various factors determine intelligence. Wildlife scientists around the world often name dolphins, chimpanzees, elephants, and even certain bird species like crows, as some of the most intelligent animals, using tools and showing deep emotions.

Aaliyah wants to know…

What's the smartest animal on the planet?

Birds can fly because their bodies are made for it! Their wings are shaped perfectly to help them glide through the air, so they can find new places to eat and nest. They have light bones and strong muscles that give them the power to flap their wings and lift off the ground.

Gwynn queried…

Why and how do birds fly?

Animals in cold places have special ways to stay warm. For example, polar bears have thick fur and a layer of fat under their skin. Penguins huddle together to share body heat, and some animals grow extra fur or feathers during the winter.

Eric asked…

How do animals stay warm in cold places like the Arctic?

Some animals, like wolves and elephants, live in groups because it helps them find food and protect each other. Other animals, like tigers and bears, prefer to live alone so they don’t have to share their food or space.

Taylor asked…

Why do some animals live in groups while others live alone?

Chameleons and some other animals change color to hide from predators, communicate with other chameleons, or control their body temperature. It’s like their way of sending messages or staying safe.

Francisco wants to know…

Why do some animals, like chameleons, change color?

This saying means that sometimes being too curious can get you into trouble. Cats like to explore and sometimes get into dangerous places. It's like when you are told not to touch something hot because you could get hurt. It's a reminder to be careful and safe.

Ruth wants to know…

Why do they say ‘curiosity killed the cat'?

Some animals are pets because they are friendly and like to live with people. They can be trained and are safe to be around, like dogs and cats. Other animals, like lions or tigers, are wild and can be dangerous. They need to live in their natural homes like jungles or forests where they have the space and food they need.

Francisco pondered…

Why are some animals pets and others are not?

Animals communicate in many ways. Dogs bark, birds sing, and dolphins use clicks and whistles. Some animals use body language, like when a cat arches its back to look scary or when bees dance to show where flowers are. They may not speak like us, but animals communicate in their own way.

Abdul wants to know…

How do animals communicate with each other?

Plants and animals need each other to survive. Plants provide food and oxygen for animals. In return, animals help plants by spreading their seeds and pollen. For example, bees get nectar from flowers and help plants make new seeds by moving pollen around.

George posed the question…

How do plants and animals depend on each other in the wild?

Some animals, like owls and bats, are nocturnal, which means they are active at night. They might do this to avoid predators or because it’s easier to find food. For example, owls can see really well in the dark to catch mice.

Lucy asked…

Why do some animals sleep during the day and come out at night?

Bees collect nectar from flowers using their long tongues. They store the nectar in their stomachs and bring it back to the hive. There, they pass the nectar to other bees, who process it into honey and store it in honeycombs.

Colin wants to know…

How do bees make honey?

Animals use their senses, like smell, sight, and hearing, to locate food and water. Many species like elephants and gorillas learn from their parents and other animals. Some animals also remember places where they found food before and return to those spots.

How do animals know where to find food and water?

Blaine is asking…

During winter, some animals, like bears, groundhogs and even snails, hibernate. That means they go into a deep sleep to conserve energy and wake up when the winter thaws. Others, like monarch butterflies, humpback whales and sandhill cranes, migrate to warmer places. Animals that stay active in winter, like deer, rabbits and wolves, grow thicker fur and find different food sources to survive the cold.

Manon, from Montreal, wondered…

What do animals do during the winter?

Fish use gills to breathe underwater. Gills are special organs that extract oxygen from water. When water passes over the gills, they absorb the oxygen and release carbon dioxide, allowing fish to stay underwater and breathe without coming up for air.

Hugo inquires…

How do fish breathe underwater?

Some animals, like owls and bats, are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. They come out at night to avoid daytime predators, stay cool in hot climates, and find food more easily when their prey is also moving around at night, like mice and other insects.

Constanza wants to know…

Why do some animals only come out at night?

Frogs croak to attract mates and defend their territory. They make those funny sounds by pushing air from their lungs through their vocal cords, which vibrates and creates noise. Some frogs also have vocal sacs that expand like balloons, amplifying the sound. Each species of frog has a unique croak to communicate with others.

Veeti asked…

How do frogs croak and how do they make those funny sounds?

Snakes move without legs by using their strong muscles and flexible scales on their bellies. They push against the ground in a wave-like motion called undulation. By contracting and relaxing their muscles in sequence, they can slither forward, sideways, or even swim. This movement helps them navigate various terrains and catch prey efficiently.

Birth wants to know…

How do snakes move without legs?

Some animals have tails to help them balance, communicate, and defend themselves. Monkeys use their tails to swing from trees, while dogs wag their tails to show they're happy. Tails can also help animals swim, like fish, or scare away predators, like lizards. Each animal's tail has a special job to help them survive in their environment.

Dmitri wanted to know…

Why do some animals have tails? Do thyme serve any purpose?

Squirrels have a great memory and a strong sense of smell to find nuts they buried. They dig small holes in the ground and bury nuts one by one. Their keen sense of smell helps them locate buried nuts later on, even if they are hidden under leaves or snow. This helps squirrels survive by having food stored for winter.

Pranav inquired…

Why do the squirrels in my neighborhood bury nuts and do they find them again?

Spiders make webs using silk produced from glands in their abdomen. They release liquid silk through spinnerets at the back of their bodies. As the silk comes out, it hardens into strands that spiders use to spin intricate webs. Spiders can make different types of webs for catching prey, wrapping eggs, or creating homes, showing amazing skill in construction.

Trisha asked…

How do spiders make webs?

Dolphins communicate underwater using a variety of sounds. They produce clicks, whistles, and squeaks through their blowholes. These sounds travel through water, allowing dolphins to talk to each other, find food, and navigate. They have sensitive hearing and can recognize different calls, showing complex social interactions and cooperation among dolphin groups.

Eleni pondered…

How do dolphins communicate underwater?

Butterflies mainly eat nectar from flowers. They use their long, straw-like tongues called proboscis to suck up the sweet liquid. Butterflies also feed on other liquids like rotting fruit juice and tree sap. They find food by seeing bright colors and smelling scents that attract them to flowers, where they can drink nectar for energy.

Ronald wants to know…

What do butterflies eat and how do they find food?

Birds know where to migrate using the sun, stars, and Earth's magnetic field. They recognize landmarks like mountains and rivers and can even use their sense of smell. Migration knowledge is often inherited from parents or learned from older birds. These natural tools and skills help them find their way to the same locations each year.

Jake posed the question…

How do birds know where to migrate

Whales have blowholes on the tops of their heads. When they come up to the surface, they take a big breath, and their lungs store lots of oxygen to use when they dive deep. Some whales, like sperm whales, can hold their breath for up to 90 minutes. Other whales, like humpback whales, usually stay underwater for about 15-30 minutes before coming up for air.

Annie asked…

Behaviors

What's the smartest animal on the planet?

Why and how do birds fly?

How do animals stay warm in cold places like the Arctic?

Why do some animals live in groups while others live alone?

Why do some animals, like chameleons, change color?

Why do they say ‘curiosity killed the cat'?

Why are some animals pets and others are not?

How do animals communicate with each other?

How do plants and animals depend on each other in the wild?

Why do some animals sleep during the day and come out at night?

How do bees make honey?

How do animals know where to find food and water?

What do animals do during the winter?

How do fish breathe underwater?

Why do some animals only come out at night?

How do frogs croak and how do they make those funny sounds?

How do snakes move without legs?

Why do some animals have tails? Do thyme serve any purpose?

Why do the squirrels in my neighborhood bury nuts and do they find them again?

How do spiders make webs?

How do dolphins communicate underwater?

What do butterflies eat and how do they find food?

How do birds know where to migrate

I love whales. They are amazing. But how do they breathe underwater?

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SAFE WORLDWIDE

GuideStar is the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations.

They gather and provide access to the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and accurate nonprofit information which is available to potential funders and donors.

Less than five percent of non-profits registered with GuideStar are recognized with a Gold Seal. A Gold Seal status is the leading symbol of non-profit transparency and accountability.

Behaviors

What's the smartest animal on the planet?

Why and how do birds fly?

How do animals stay warm in cold places like the Arctic?

Why do some animals live in groups while others live alone?

Why do some animals, like chameleons, change color?

Why do they say ‘curiosity killed the cat'?

Why are some animals pets and others are not?

How do animals communicate with each other?

How do plants and animals depend on each other in the wild?

Why do some animals sleep during the day and come out at night?

How do bees make honey?

How do animals know where to find food and water?

What do animals do during the winter?

How do fish breathe underwater?

Why do some animals only come out at night?

How do frogs croak and how do they make those funny sounds?

How do snakes move without legs?

Why do some animals have tails? Do thyme serve any purpose?

Why do the squirrels in my neighborhood bury nuts and do they find them again?

How do spiders make webs?

How do dolphins communicate underwater?

What do butterflies eat and how do they find food?

How do birds know where to migrate

I love whales. They are amazing. But how do they breathe underwater?

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter

SAFE WORLDWIDE

GuideStar is the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations.

They gather and provide access to the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and accurate nonprofit information which is available to potential funders and donors.

Less than five percent of non-profits registered with GuideStar are recognized with a Gold Seal. A Gold Seal status is the leading symbol of non-profit transparency and accountability.

Ask Riley and Max a Question

Ask Riley and Max a Question