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3 Check It Out! 4 What’s a Bird? 6 10 Amazing Bird Facts 8 Weird Sleep Habits of Birds 10 Puzzles 12 The Great Impersonator 13 Just a Minute 14 Doves at Our Front Door 16 Max & Gracie 17 What’s That Sound? 18 Frieda’s Pet Cardinal 21 Soldier Birds 22 The Great Horned Owl 23 See Like an Owl 24 The Amazing Macaw 25 Draw a Macaw 26 Hammering in the Woods 27 Summer’s Hummers 28 Bird Funnies 29 Kids Corner 30 Puzzle Solutions
red-knobbed hornbill
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irds are awesome creatures. There are many different kinds. In this issue of Fun For Kidz, you will find some unique and unusual ones. Check it out. Some birds can multitask. They fly and sleep at the same time! There are those who are unable to fly. These birds would rather run or swim. Most birds sing. There is one in this issue that is able to sing 1000 songs an hour. A few birds talk. One bird learns 200 different sounds in its lifetime. That is something to talk about!
grey-crowned cranes
When you are finished with the issue, go outdoors. Stop, look, and listen for birds that live near you. Then write or email us, and tell us what you’ve discovered. We will send you a prize just for sharing what you found! That is something to chirp about! Report in to us at: Kids Corner, PO Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227. Or email us at: kidscorner@funforkidz.com
peacock
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Rainbow lorikeets are a type of parrot.
by Lynn Katulka If you had to describe a bird to someone from another planet, I bet you’d use words like small, lightweight, feathers, wings, able to fly, and great singing voice. For many of the birds in the world, these words would be very accurate. But did you know there are birds that are bigger than some people? Or birds that don’t fly but can run very fast? There are birds that talk or sing at night instead of during the day. And there are even birds that swim almost as well as fish! Famous for their black and white coloring and waddling walk, the penguin is a bird that doesn’t fly. They are exceptional swimmers, though. They have webbed feet, waterproof wings like flippers, and a short wedge of a tail. They can swim at speeds of approximately 15 mph. Penguins spend half their time in the water, catching fish for dinner. The cassowary is a bird found in Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia. This is another bird that doesn’t fly. The cassowary has a bright blue and red head, a thick horn-like casque (pronounced kask) that looks like a helmet on top of its head, and strong, powerful three-toed feet. This is not a bird to challenge to a race.
Humboldt penguin
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Ostriches and emus are related to the cassowary. These are flightless birds as well. They rely on their legs, strength, and large bodies to combat any threats. Both birds can reach a height taller than a human adult. They can weigh up to 150 pounds and can run as fast as 45 mph. That beats most people on a bike!
Birds are known for their chirping. Many birds greet the sunrise with a song. Some birds have songs that they sing to call to friends or even to warn of a cat in the yard. A few birds are awake at night. These nocturnal birds sing their songs after the sun goes down. Owls are the most popular nighttime singers. With an eerie scream, or a hoot or screech, they make their presence known. Other birds, such as the mockingbird or heron, can make chirps and noises at night, especially if a full moon is in the sky. Pet birds, like parrots and macaws, can be taught to “talk.” Birds will repeat sounds. These sounds come out sounding like words to our questions. But teaching a bird to talk can take years and a lot of patience. It’s probably easier to get your dog, Spot, to roll over, sit, and stay. So if you ever have to describe the birds of our world, don’t forget the big, heavy, swimming, running, and screeching kind too!
emu
cassowary great blue heron
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by Melissa Abramovitz Like people, animals need sleep. Without enough sleep, our minds and bodies don’t work right. We can’t learn or remember things. We act grouchy. We get sick more often. If a person or animal doesn’t sleep for a few days, it may die. Scientists think sleep helps our bodies store energy and heal damage. Sleep also lets our brains sort out what we learn while awake. But no one is exactly sure why we sleep! The sleep habits of most animals are pretty boring. An animal gets tired, lies down, and goes to sleep. Some birds have strange sleep habits. These weird habits keep birds safe from predators that might attack them when they are asleep. Or the habits help migrating birds stay on schedule.
Alpine swift
Sleeping While Flying The bird called the swift sleeps while flying as it migrates to and from warmer climates. The wings stop flapping, and the bird naps for a few seconds as it glides. It flaps again so it won’t crash-land. Then more naps and flaps, until it is no longer tired. Scientists have found that Alpine swifts can stay in the air for more than six months without landing! The swifts eat flying insects and get by with about two-and-a-half hours of sleep per day. Swainson’s thrushes also sleep while migrating. They glide and sleep many times – for about 14 seconds at a time – while flying. They sleep half the brain at a time. Often, the eye that is opposite the side of the brain that is awake is open while the other eye is closed. This is because information from the right eye goes to the left side of the brain and vice versa. The open eye helps the bird watch for danger.
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Swainson’s thrush
One-Legged Snoozing
Flamingos rest their heads on their backs while sleeping.
Does sleeping while standing on one leg sound comfortable? Flamingos think so. This is their normal way of sleeping. Their other leg gets tucked under the body. Some scientists think the flamingo does this to rest the heart and the tucked leg. It takes a lot of energy for a flamingo’s heart to pump blood to its legs because the legs are so long. Other scientists believe that tucking one leg helps flamingos stay warm. Flamingos usually sleep in shallow water. So maybe having one leg out of the water is less chilly than having both legs wet. Still others think standing on one leg helps camouflage the flamingo. The lagoons where flamingos hang out have many tall, thin trees and reeds. One tall, thin leg might look like a reed or tree to predators that eat flamingos.
mallard ducks
Lookout Groups Groups of quail sleep on the ground. They make a cozy circle with the tails facing in. This helps them stay warm at night. Each quail’s head faces outward in a different direction. This way, the group can look out for danger all around. Mallard ducks may also sleep in a group for safety, but not in a circle. The ducks in the center of the group sleep with both eyes closed because they are relatively safe from predators, like foxes. Ducks closer to the edges sleep with one eye open while resting half the brain. These lookout spies warn the group when trouble strikes.
California quail
Nature certainly has some interesting ways of protecting birds while they sleep!
Z
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by S. Allyn Kelley 2. 2. 3.
by Evelyn B. Christensen
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What makes a bird a bird? Most birds fly, but some don’t. Other animals, like butterflies and bats, fly. So flying is not what makes an animal a bird. All birds lay eggs, but other animals, like fish and snakes, do too. So laying eggs is not what makes an animal a bird. Feathers are what make an animal a bird. Birds are the only animals that have them!
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ACROSS
1. In the wild, this bird usually is pink. It also frequently stands on one leg! 2. This black bird is often identified by the cawing sound it makes. 3. This bird is livestock. It is a male chicken. 4. This seaside bird uses its long bill to scoop up fish from water. Three gallons of water can fit in its bill! 5. This bird lives in the Southern Hemisphere and is a great swimmer! It cannot fly, though. 6. This bird is small. Its wings move so quickly, they are hard to see clearly! DOWN
1. This bird is considered graceful. 2. This bird eats insects out of trees. 3. This bird lives in the American Southwest and Mexico. It eats snakes, scorpions, and other animals. 4. This scavenger eats dead animals that died a natural or accidental death or were killed by another animal.
R A E E F E S E S E E T F R A E H E E A S H E H E E T S
T A
WORD BANK
(Not all will be used.)
CARDINAL EAGLE PEACOCK SWAN ROADRUNNER FLAMINGO PELICAN DUCK PENGUIN CROW WOODPECKER ROOSTER CONDOR HUMMINGBIRD MOCKINGBIRD
T R
F H R E H F S
Fill in the squares so that each row, column, and 8-square section has the letters F-E-A-T-H-E-R-S (2 E’s in each).
by Evelyn B. Christensen
A mockingbird, an owl, a sparrow, and a woodpecker each nested in a different tree. Use the clues to decide which bird nested in each tree. 1. No bird nested in a tree that starts with the same letter as its name. 2. The bird in the sycamore drilled a hole for its nest.
Mockingbird Owl
3. Neither the mockingbird nor the bird that hunts at night nested in the walnut.
Sparrow
Use the grid to eliminate possibilities. Put an “x” in a box if you know a bird doesn’t go with a tree. Put an “o” if you know it does.
Woodpecker
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Oak
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Sycamore
4.
Walnut
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Maple
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by Doris Fisher
by Guy Belleranti
Not all birds fly. Find your way through the maze by connecting letters to spell, in order, the following flightless birds: CASSOWARY, EMU, KAKAPO, KIWI, OSTRICH, RHEA, TAKAHE, WEKA. You may move forward, backward, up, or down. No letter may be connected more than once. Write the leftover letters in the blank spaces to spell out a fact about two more flightless birds.
Passenger pigeons were once the most common bird in North America. There may have been 5 billion in the US alone. They became extinct due to loss of habitat and being hunted for food. Find out about the last passenger pigeon by using the code. Some letters and numbers have already been inserted. 1. The name of the last passenger pigeon was
A
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ .
╤ ┴ ╢ ┴ 2. It lived at the
C
N
T
O
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___ .
╠ ╝ ╦ ╠ ╝ ╦ ╦ ┴ ╝
♥ ♥
3. It died on ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___,
1
___ ___ ___ ___ .
├ ├ ╤ ╬ ├
T
▼
4. It was named after
M
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
╤ ┴ ╢ ┴
H
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ .
A fact about two more flightless birds: ________ ____
__
___ ___
_________ _ _ _.
____
__________
_ _ _ _ _ _ _,
____
___
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
┴ ╢ ╝ ╦ ╡ ♥ ╦
A B C D E F G H I J K L MN O P Q R ┴ ╬ ╠ ╣ ├ ┬ ╡ ╢ ╝ ┤ ╟ ╤ ╦ ♥
S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ▼ by Evelyn B. Christensen Can you find these birds hidden in the sentences below? The hidden bird might be part of more than one word.
They’re eider right or wrong,
cardinal, crow, duck, eagle, hawk, loon, owl, sparrow, swan, wren 1. Dad ducked his head to avoid hitting the low-hanging light fixture. 2. My dog tends to howl whenever I practice my violin. 3. A huge crowd was at the 5K race to raise money for cancer research. 4. My mother used a wrench to fix the broken pipe. 5. He put the card in a long envelope and mailed it to his friend. 6. We bought lots of balloons for the birthday party. 7. The students love to sing and want to organize a glee club. 8. I tend to laugh awkwardly when I’m embarrassed. 9. She always wants to do her very best if she’s asked to be in charge. 10. Grasp arrows carefully when removing them from the target.
check owl your answers on page 30.
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by Crystal Jennings
There is a bird that can meow like a cat and sound like a car alarm! The northern mockingbird can impersonate animals, musical instruments, and dozens of other bird species. Have you ever sat on your porch in the spring or summer and heard what sounded like many different birds? Chances are the sounds were coming from this one incredible bird. The northern mockingbird is found only in North America. What sets it apart from all other birds is its ability to learn at least 200 sounds and songs during its lifetime. It can sing 1000 songs an hour! Mockingbirds have been heard mimicking squeaky wagon wheels and cell phone ringtones. People have reported seeing them mocking cat owners by flying around the yard, calling, “Here, kitty, kitty, kitty!” These birds have been recorded meowing like a cat. Imagine what the neighborhood dogs think! Scientists believe mockingbirds mimic other birds to make a territory sound crowded. Other birds think there are too many birds around, so they go somewhere else. This leaves the mockingbirds plenty to eat. Northern mockingbirds were once sold as pets. Thomas Jefferson owned at least four, and his favorite was named Dick. Dick would follow Jefferson around the White House, sitting on Jefferson’s shoulder while the President played the violin. Today laws protect mockingbirds. They can’t be injured or kept as pets. Their nests or chicks can’t be harmed. The mockingbird is the state bird of Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas.
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Invite these birds into your backyard by placing a suet feeder there. Offer chopped dried grapes, raisins, apples, or pomegranates on a platform feeder. It’s important to have a bird bath or water source there too. Planting berry bushes will help ensure these talented singers visit you. Then sit back and enjoy the concert!
e t u n i M Just a by Teresa Lilly
(Sue) walked over to her friend Betsy’s . rang the on the door. heard someone call out, “Just a minute! Just a minute!” waited by the . No one came and opened the . rang the again. Inside, a lovely voice sang out, “Just a minute! Just a minute!” was tired. She decided to look in the and see who was keeping her waiting so long. She stepped down into the bed. She was careful not to step on the red and pink . One on a bush scratched her . Finally, got close to the . She peeked over the ledge and looked inside. could still hear the voice inside singing, “Just a minute! Just a minute!” but it wasn’t . It wasn’t Betsy’s . It wasn’t even ’s older . laughed out loud when she saw who had been tricking her. In a silver , sitting on top of a , was ’s red , singing out the only words it knew:
“Just a minute! Just a minute!”
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by Deb W. Trotter They didn’t ring the doorbell. They didn’t knock. The doves who came to stay with us last spring didn’t want to come inside our house. They wanted to hatch some eggs.
Max and Ellis learn about doves.
One day in early April, I watered a hanging plant outside our front door. I ducked as something big and feathery whooshed past my ear and flew away. It sounded like a fast-turning squeaky wheel. Did I disturb a nest? I got a step ladder, and we looked in the planter. Two eggs nestled on a spread of pine needles. We hurried into the house, hoping the bird would return to its nest. A few minutes later, a mourning dove was sitting in the planter, right on top of the eggs. We had seen and heard mourning doves outside our house before. But we had never seen a nest. It was exciting to have dove neighbors. We went to the library and checked out a book to learn about doves. Over the next several weeks, we learned a lot from watching and living with them. The adult doves took turns sitting on the nest. The larger male sat during the day, and the female sat at night. We went outside every day to talk to whichever bird was there. We tried to make them comfortable with our presence. They never responded to our voices, but they stopped flying off the nest in fear. I watered the plant on the side away from the nest, always talking softly in a reassuring tone of voice. About three weeks after we discovered the nest, we saw a baby dove, or squab, next to its parent. It already had feathers, so we knew it was not newly hatched. Within a few days, the squab was alone in the nest. Its mother was on the ground below, cooing encouragement. A few days later, the nest was empty.
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Eggs in the nest
We were soon surprised when an adult dove returned to the planter. Could there be eggs in the nest again? There were. Two more. Our relationship with our dove neighbors continued. We talked to them, took photos, and enjoyed our front row seats to watch another nesting cycle. This time, both eggs hatched. Again, we did not see the squabs until they already had feathers. In a few days, the nest was empty.
Look closely. See a squab under the adult?
But the dove family was not quite complete. In the middle of June, the female laid two more eggs. Two babies hatched in early July. This time, we spotted them underneath the male dove. They looked furry, not feathery. When they got bigger, they had more feathers. One afternoon, we saw all four doves in the planter. It was feeding time. Each baby poked its beak into a parent’s beak while the adult birds pumped up a special fluid created for the squabs. Hoping to get a better look, we went outside, but the adult birds froze. They were not comfortable enough with our presence at feeding time to continue. The hungry babies eventually followed their parents’ example, so we went back inside the house.
Adult male with the first squab Furry-feathery squab
This third cycle, we saw the little ones leave the nest, or fledge. One mid-July morning, at watering time, the two young doves were in the planter by themselves. We knew their parents thought they were ready to fly. The adult birds were used to me watering, but the babies on their own were spooked by my actions. With a noisy thrumming of flapping wings, both birds flew confidently away from the nest, leaving it empty once more. This spring, the doves might return to the planter outside our front door to lay more eggs and share the neighborhood with us again. We hope they do.
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A beach in Oregon 3:00 PM It’s cold, but the sun is shining. So are we! Max and Gracie and their owners, Linda, Craig, and their seven-year-old son, Ed, are driving the back roads of America. Perhaps you have seen Max and Gracie with their heads out the window. If not, here is a letter describing their most recent adventure.
time today, Gracie is nowhere r collecting seashells. For the second Ed, Linda, and I are down by the wate hidden treasure. I had to bark at by the dunes, scouting around for a to be found. Earlier I found her over missing again. This is just like join us by the water. Now she’s gone her several times to come back and when she’ll reappear. see to to not look over my shoulder Gracie. I try not to worry, but it’s hard head. They’re dipping and the beach with two seagulls flying over Great, here she comes tearing down diving, trying to peck her head! thinking. now?” Linda sighs. Exactly what I was “Oh, my. What has Gracie gotten into -bombed all of us! We didn’t stop the seagulls. They now dive shut, one seagull Gracie hid behind Linda’s legs, but that were s door the it quickly. As soon as did we sure ing mak ulls seag e thos ran to the van, other sat on the van roof, her fluttering his wings, watching us. The ily angr ld, shie wind the of t fron in flew inside. little head upside down as she peered “What happened?” I ask Gracie. a seagull nest. Guess the over by the dunes? Turned out it was “Remember that smell I was tracking .” nest r k too kindly of my inspecting thei momma and poppa seagull didn’t thin “Gracie . . .” the shell. I was so when a chick started to break through “I was rolling one of the eggs around, hitting my head hard with their return. The next thing I know, they’re fascinated, I never saw Mom and Pop beaks.” ie.” “Good thing you have a hard head, Grac !” “Har-de har-har, Max. You’re hilarious
Max
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Trent, age 9, and his dad
by Carol Carpenter It was a cold day in late winter, but Dad and I felt warmed by the sun. We sat, quiet and still, at the edge of the field where it met the river. I heard an unfamiliar bird call. Hoypoo. Koi-lee. It sounded like a squeaky toy. I knew the trick for recognizing a bird call. I began using the process of elimination. What made that sound? It sounded a little like a hawk. Quickly scanning the sky, I saw no hawks in sight. A hawk would have scared away the sparrows, chickadees, and cardinals flying around us. What made that sound? Baby eagles make a high-pitched squeaking sound. I glanced at treetops, looking for nests made of sticks. Eagle nests are easy to see because they’re huge, up to eight feet across. There were no signs of eagles. What made that sound? Was it an osprey? Osprey nests are made of large piles of driftwood and dead tree branches. Usually, they’re found on top of telephone poles or channel markers in the water. There were no osprey nests. Captivated by the unique bird call, my dad recorded it with his phone. He played back the call in different directions. The sound wasn’t coming from the sky at all, but from the ground. A northern bobwhite quail was shuffling slowly toward the sound of the recording. I knew it was a male because of the white face markings. It didn’t make the usual bob-bob white sound. Another male and a female approached. Dad and I froze. Our breathing became so quiet, it seemed to stop. I didn’t want to startle these birds. This was a rare opportunity to see them up close. I sat motionless, watching. The small chicken-sized birds gathered together as if snuggling. They cooed and nuzzled. Then the quail walked through the brush, pecking in search of food. As they wobbled away, I knew this was something I’d never forget.
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by Myrtle N. Haldeman • illustrated by Donna Catanese
F
rieda watched as the beautiful red cardinal flew against the kitchen window again and again. What if he hit the glass too hard? Frieda had her answer shortly. There was a thud, and down dropped the cardinal. “Oh, Mom,” exclaimed Frieda, “I think the cardinal is hurt. Shall I bring him inside?” “Yes,” replied her mother, “bring him in, and we’ll see how serious his injuries are.” Frieda gently lifted the cardinal. The frightened bird struggled. One wing hung limp. Frieda stroked his fine red feathers tenderly. “I think his wing is broken,” said Frieda. “What can we do? He can’t be left outside. A cat or some other animal will find him.” Frieda’s eyes brightened. “Do you think I could keep him? I already have a name for him – Kenny Cardinal. And Grandma’s old bird cage is in the attic. That would make a nice home for him.” Frieda’s mother smiled. “That’s an interesting idea, Frieda. You’d have fun taking care of Kenny, but you’d have to let him go later. Maybe you’d like to take him to the conservancy on the other side of town instead. They care for wounded birds.”
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“But, Mom,” pleaded Frieda, “I know I can make him better. I’ll take care of him. Please let me keep him!” “All right,” consented her mother. “Just remember that birds like to fly free. He won’t be happy in a cage after his wing heals.” Frieda held Kenny close. “I’ll take very good care of you, Kenny, and I’m sure you won’t want to leave.” She scrubbed out the old cage, placed Kenny inside, and closed the cage door. Frieda found bird seed left over from winter and filled the water dish. Kenny lay trembling at the bottom of the cage. “It’s OK, Kenny,” said Frieda. “I know it takes a while to get used to a new home. You’ll get used to us soon.” Before long, Kenny was pecking at the bird seed and dipping his bill into the water dish. Several mornings later, Frieda was awakened by a series of loud, slurred whistles. She dashed downstairs and watched with delight as Kenny whistled his thanks. Each day, Kenny gave Frieda a series of wake-up whistles. Each day, Frieda faithfully supplied him with food and water. The more she talked to him and stroked him, the more he sang for her. They were becoming friends. Gradually, Kenny moved about more easily. His wing didn’t droop so much. Frieda frowned as she remembered what her mother had said. Several days later, she heard no wake-up whistles. She fed and watered Kenny as always, but there was no song in response. Frieda was alarmed. “Mom!” she called, “Kenny isn’t whistling today. What do you think is wrong? Is he sick?” “Come here, Frieda.” Her mother drew her close. “I know you love Kenny, and you’ve taken very good care of him. He has whistled his thanks to you many times. Now, I think he’s sad and doesn’t feel like singing. Remember, I told you that birds like to fly free. Kenny is well now and ready for the wide world again.” Frieda’s heart sank. “But, Mom,” she said, “he’s my pet, my friend. If I let him go, I might never see him again. I can’t let him go!”
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Frieda went outside and sank down beneath her favorite oak tree. Kenny is so beautiful, she thought, and I like the way his bright eyes watch me when I feed him. He likes me to stroke his feathers. He’ll miss me if I let him go, and I’ll miss him terribly. What if something horrible happens to him? I won’t be there to save him. He really needs me! A bird perched on a nearby fence post. As it broke into song, Frieda looked up. How happy it seemed! She thought of Kenny, caged and sad. Her heart seemed to stop momentarily, but she knew then what she must do. Who am I kidding? I’m being selfish. Birds like to fly free. I’ll miss him, but I want Kenny to be happy again. Slowly, Frieda walked into the house. “Mom,” she said, “you were right. Birds need to be free. I was wrong to hope to keep Kenny for myself. I’m ready to let him go.” “You’ve made a wise decision, Frieda,” her mother said. “Kenny will be happy to be free, and you’ll be happy because you did the right thing.” Carefully, Frieda opened the cage, and Kenny perched on her finger. Stroking him gently, she slowly carried him to the open front door. Stretching forth her hand, she watched as Kenny lifted his wings and soared into the air. As he flew swiftly to a cherry tree, Frieda waved to him. “Good-bye, Kenny. I’m really going to miss you.” She waited, and then she heard them: a series of loud whistles. Kenny was saying “Thank you” again.
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by Diane Winebar • illustration by Ginny Pruitt Homing pigeons are strong, speedy fliers. And they can find their way home over incredibly long distances. Because of this, they make perfect military messengers. Specially trained homing pigeons have carried life-or-death messages for over 2000 years! Here’s the true story of one brave pigeon hero.
G.I. Joe was a blue check homing pigeon, like this one.
The British soldiers in the Italian town of Calvi Vecchia were in trouble. It was 1943, during the middle of World War II. British soldiers were fighting their German enemy for control of the town. A few miles away, several bombers were getting ready to fly overhead and bomb the town. This would help force the enemy out. The battle was over when the enemy retreated. The British soldiers were victorious. But there was a huge problem. The bombers didn’t know their side had won. The bombs were no longer needed. If they came, many more lives would be lost. Headquarters was far away, but it had to be told to cancel the bombing, and fast!
The British tried contacting Headquarters by radio. It didn’t work. Time was running out. The bombs would be there soon. An American homing pigeon named G.I. Joe was their one hope. A soldier scribbled a hurried message and stuffed it into a tiny canister attached to Joe’s leg. Then the pigeon was released into the air. Joe flew 20 miles in only 20 minutes, arriving at Headquarters just as the planes were ready to take off. The town was saved! Thanks to G.I. Joe’s fast flying that October day, the lives of the people of Calvi Vecchia and 1000 British soldiers were spared. Joe was awarded a special medal and became the most famous military pigeon of World War II.
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by Shirley Anne Ramaley There’s a call in the air. Hoo, hoo-hoo, hoo. It almost sounds like, Who’s awake? Me too. Only one bird sounds like this – the great horned owl. It can be heard just about anywhere because they live in mountain forests, desert canyons, and even city parks. Like all birds of prey, great horned owls capture food with their feet, not their beaks. Using sharp, curved talons, they hunt almost anything. Cats should be kept indoors, or they might become dinner! They even hunt skunks. The world is just one big smorgasbord for this large owl. They use their ear tufts like a dog uses its ears. If the owl is upset, the tufts lie flat. If the owl is curious, the tufts stand up. If you see one, and it sees you, check out those tufts. You’ll find out what the owl thinks of that human staring at it. You might see one perched on a branch or roof during the day. This owl has BIG eyes. If it were as tall as a human, its eyes would be the size of oranges! An owl’s eyes are fixed in their sockets. When an owl wants to move its eyes up or down, it must move its whole head. An owl can’t really turn its head completely around, but it can rotate its head 270 degrees. (A complete rotation would be 360 degrees.)
Can you guess how the great horned owl got its name?
These owls have excellent hearing. Their ears are offset, with the ear openings slightly tilted in different directions. The owl tilts its head until a sound is equal in both ears. This pinpoints the direction and distance of the sound of possible prey. As the owl flies silently toward prey, the prey animal has no idea it’s in danger. Soft feathers deaden the sound of air rushing over the owl’s wings while in flight. There are no predators who hunt this bird. It is the great horned owl that is a top predator.
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Owls are different from many birds. Many birds eat seeds. Owls eat small and not-so-small animals. Many birds are active during the day. Owls are active mostly at night. Many birds have straight beaks. Owls have hooked beaks. Most birds have eyes on the SIDES of their heads. Owls’ eyes face FORWARD, like yours. But an owl’s eyes can’t do something your eyes can do!
What You Need: • an empty spool from a roll of toilet paper or paper towel • scissors • sticky tape
What You Do: 1. Cut two pieces off the tube. Make each piece about three inches long. 2. Place the pieces side by side. Tape them together. 3. Hold them up to your eyes so each eye is looking through ONE of the tubes (as if you were looking through binoculars). Now, look around! You are seeing EXACTLY the way an owl sees! An owl can see ONLY what is in front of its eyes. Even though your eyes are in front of your face, like an owl’s, YOU can see a lot more. WHY?
The Science Secret You can roll your eyes from side to side. Try it! Owls cannot move their eyes like you can. Owls’ eyes can look only straight ahead. What does an owl do when it wants to see what is beside it? When you hold the “owl binoculars” up to your eyes, the ONLY way you can see what is beside you is to turn your head. This is what owls must do to see what is beside, above, or below them!
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Hyacinth macaw, named for its deep blue color
Scarlet macaws. Powerful beaks let macaws crack open nuts and seeds.
Macaws like me think our rainforest home is a great place to live. We can find plenty of nuts and juicy, ripe fruit to eat. There’s always fresh water to drink and play in. And the South American rainforest is full of interesting things to inspect. When we want to examine something, we hold it with our gripping toes. Macaws are a curious and busy bunch of birds. People think we are impressive. Just take a look at our feathers, and you’ll understand why. They’re brilliant! It’s a thrilling sight to see colorful flocks of macaws bursting from the trees into the sky. There are many kinds, colors, and sizes of macaws. I am a hyacinth macaw, the largest macaw there is. From the top of my head to the tip of my tail, I am over three feet long. But no matter our size, our bodies are light enough to easily fly between the trees. Macaws live in family groups. When we’re together, our chattering is earsplitting! Screaming is our natural way of calling to one another. “Hey, I’m over here in this tree!” we might say. Loud calling also lets us tell other animals where our territory is. We are pretty smart birds. We can even imitate some words. Macaws living near or with people repeat things they hear. They’ll say a word to themselves over and over until they get it just right. Large macaws can live 50 years, so pet owners should get ready to live with their pet macaws for a long time! The sun is setting. My family is getting ready to spend the night in the trees. They are calling to one another to find out who will sleep where. Tomorrow will be another great day in the rainforest.
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written and illustrated by Andrew Wales
1. 1. Start with a large oval shape for the body and a smaller egg shape for the head. Then add a triangle for the tail at the bottom end of the body oval. Add two curved lines for the longer part of the tail. Next, sketch the beak on the front of the face, and also sketch the eye and leg.
2.
A blue-and-yellow macaw
3. 2. Now begin making small changes to the shape of the areas you’ve drawn. You want to make your macaw look feathery, not smooth. Begin drawing the branch, the claw, and other details.
4.
3. Now begin filling in some of the shapes you’ve drawn. Some are filled in completely. You can use crosshatching to fill in other areas. Crosshatching means making areas darker and darker by using layers of lines that cross over one another. 4. Finish by adding shading to your drawing. Make some areas light, some dark, some white, and some black. See how the tree is made very dark by using the crosshatching technique?
Send your macaw drawing to Fun For Kidz, PO Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227, or scan and email to kidscorner@funforkidz.com.
Be sure to include your name, age, city, and state. Do you have a pet bird in the house? Draw a picture or write to us about your pet bird. You might see your drawing and letter in a future issue!
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by Susan Richardson Rap! Tap-tap-tap! The sounds echo through the woods. Strong toes cling and stiff tail feathers push against the tree’s trunk. They hold the bird upright as it probes, pecks, and hammers in search of a meal. The hungry bird with a sharp beak is a woodpecker. It knows exactly where to drill a deep hole to find insects hiding under the bark. Soon the bird will reach its long barbed tongue into the hole and pull out squirming bugs. Woodpeckers called sapsuckers drill rows of holes around a tree’s trunk to eat the sap that drips down. Insects like sap, too, and they gather around the sweet feast. They don’t realize they are about to be grabbed by a long tongue! Acorn woodpeckers carve out many tree holes. They This acorn woodpecker has been busy! gather acorns and hammer them tightly into the perfectly sized holes. Stored acorns are a main food source during the winter, when it’s difficult to find insects. Hammering isn’t always about food. If you hear a jackhammer sound in the woods, you are hearing a woodpecker drumming. Drumming is very loud, rapid, and rhythmic hammering on a hollow tree, a utility pole, or even a house! It’s springtime, and a male woodpecker is claiming his territory. A female woodpecker hears the impressive drum solo. She makes her way toward the sound. Soon the birds will work together to excavate the nest hole where they’ll raise a family. The tremendous force used in hammering would knock any other bird unconscious. But the woodpecker’s brain is cushioned by a very thick skull and shock-absorbing muscles at the base of its beak. Super strong neck muscles allow for long bouts of hammering and drumming. Tufts of bristly feathers protect the woodpecker’s nostrils from flying woodchips and sawdust.
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Next time you hear hammering in the woods, follow the sound. Step softly, and be stealthy. Hopefully, you’ll see a woodpecker in action!
red-breasted sapsucker
by Kris MacLeod There’s a stir in the garden. A sudden humming, a flash of red, and whoosh! The ruby-throated hummingbird is gone! Weighing less than 1 ounce, and only 3-1/2 inches long, this is one of the world’s smallest birds. They fly 30 to 60 mph, so it’s often hard to catch a glimpse of this remarkable flyer! Ruby-throated hummingbirds spend winters in Mexico and Central America. Each spring, they migrate up to 2000 miles to the northeastern US and southern Canada to breed. The journey is long and dangerous. Each tiny bird travels alone. Extra-daring birds take a 500-mile shortcut across the Gulf of Mexico. Hummers can fly non-stop across open water for 18 to 20 hours! Male hummers arrive first. Only males have an iridescent ruby-red throat patch. It glows bright red in the sunlight. Males compete for the best feeding areas, such as orchards or backyard feeders. Guarding a food source is important because hummers feed on nectar every 5 to 10 minutes. These birds beat their wings up to 100 times per second, so they need lots of energy! Females arrive next. After finding a food source, they build walnut-sized nests in trees or shrubs. Then they search for mates. A female hummer is choosy. She wants the fastest, strongest, and most brightly colored male bird. To impress her, a male dances and swoops, hoping to be chosen. Females lay two white pea-sized eggs. In two weeks, babies hatch. The mother feeds the wasp-sized hatchlings nectar and insects, but they quickly learn how to find food for themselves. After three weeks, they leave the nest. Hummingbirds spend the summer preparing for their upcoming southern journey. They store energy by doubling their body weight with daily visits to over 1500 flowers. In late July, the males head south again. Females migrate next, leaving their offspring behind. By September, young hummers are ready for their first migration. Their instinct tells them just when to leave and how to get to a winter home they have never seen.
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by Kelly Musselman
1. Why aren’t geese allowed to drive? They honk too much.
2. Why did the bird act strange? It was a little cuckoo.
3. What kind of bird plays in a band?
by Joseph Bore
A trumpeter swan
4. What kind of bird takes from the rich and gives to the poor?
Worms again? I was thinking pizza!
Robin Hood
5. Why do ducks enjoy being out in the rain? They like fowl (foul) weather.
6. What did the chicks say when the mother hen wouldn’t buy them anything?
Cheap! Cheap! Cheap!
by Joseph Bore
by Jim Browne
by James Hanson
28 “I think I know what happened to the canary!”
“Do I remember my first flight? Yes, and it was the worst second of my life.”
Dear Readers, Send us your artwork, poetry, and other creations for publication! Write us a letter, and tell what you think about Fun For Kidz. We love hearing from you! Email to: kidscorner@funforkidz.com, or mail to: Kids Corner, PO Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227.
Check It Out! Weird and Wacky, September 2016
Congratulations to our winner! First grader Bear Schisler, from Cocoa, FL, sent in this photo of a weird cicada shell. Honorable Mention: Fifth grader Zoe Schisler, from Cocoa, FL, found a camouflaged praying mantis on an oak tree.
Dear Readers, Would you like to join Zip’s Pen Pal Club? It’s easy! Dear Editor, I like frogs best because they come in all sizes and colors. I like the poison dart frog because it is yellow. Thanks for making a good issue on frogs. My name is Nathan. I am 8. Your best fan, Nathan Cullman Morgantown, WV P.S. I also liked the toads and salamanders in the November 2016 issue.
Dear Editor, Hi! I am Alicia. My brother is Aaron. We are fraternal twins. That means we aren’t identical. We are 10, but our birthday is in March, so soon we will be 11. We are in grade 5. We both like reading, being outdoors, and traveling. I play soccer, and Aaron plays hockey. We really like doing the science experiments in Fun For Kidz. We do every one, and they’re all great! Your friends, Alicia and Aaron Parfitt Red Deer, AB, Canada Dear Editor, I like your magazine. The stories are all very good. I have two dogs, two cats, and six goldfish! Keep up the good work! Yours truly, Martha North Port Huron, MI
1. Send your name, age, full address, and up to four interests to Zip’s Pen Pal Club, PO Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227. 2. Your name, age, and interests will be listed with others who want a pen pal in a future issue of Fun For Kidz. 3. When the list appears, you can choose one or more pen pals. Then mail us a self-addressed, stamped envelope, and we’ll send you the full addresses within four weeks. 4. IMPORTANT: Make sure your parent signs your note to us giving their permission. We won’t publish your name or send you the address list without their permission. 5. Have fun writing and receiving letters! Note to Parents: Zip’s Pen Pal Club is a place where kids can meet new friends and share friendly letters. Your child’s (children’s) full address will not appear in the pages of Fun For Kidz. Only the city and state (or province and country, if other than the US) will be used. We will never sell or trade your child’s (children’s) address.
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Feathers Sudoku on page 10
T S E E F A R F H E H F R E T E H S R A F E A T H
A-Maze-ing Flightless Birds on page 11
R A H S T E A S E T E F
E R S E E T S R H F A S T E A E F H R R A H F S E E T Hidden Birds on page 11 1. duck 2. owl 3. crow 4. wren 5. cardinal
A fact about two more flightless birds:
6. loon 7. eagle 8. hawk 9. swan 10. sparrow
PEN G U IN S A N D GA L A PAG O S CORMORANTS ALSO DO NOT FLY. HOWEVER, THEY ARE GOOD SWIMMERS.
The Last Passenger Pigeon on page 11 Bird Crossing on page 10 2. 1.
1.
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2.
S 3. W R F L AM I N G O N A D R 5. P E N G U N 6. H U M M I N E R
C R OW O 3. R O O S T E R D P 4. I C A N 4. P E L C O I N K N E D G B I R D O R
1. MARTHA 2. CINCINNATI ZOO 3. SEPTEMBER 1, 1914 4. MARTHA WASHINGTON
Bird Boggler on page 10 The mockingbird nested in the oak. The owl nested in the maple. The sparrow nested in the walnut. The woodpecker nested in the sycamore. Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons: Alpine swift by Rudraksha Chodankar (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0] 8 (top); Catharus ustulatus by CheepShot [CC BY 2.0] 8 (bottom); quail in hemlock by matt knoth from San Francisco [CC BY 2.0] 9 (bottom); Northern Mockingbird by Charlesjsharp (Own work, from Sharp Photography, sharpphotography) [CC BY-SA 4.0] 12; Northern Bobwhite by Matt Tillett from Cumberland, MD, USA [CC BY 2.0] 17 (right); American Show Racer (blue chequer) by jim gifford [CC BY-SA 2.0] 21; Great Horned Owl at Fort DeSoto by Andrea Westmoreland from DeLand, United States [CC BY-SA 2.0] 22; Anodorhynchus_hyacinthinus (hyacinth macaw) by Alex_LG (originally posted to Flickr as IMG_7193) [CC BY-SA 2.0] 24 (left); Acorn woodpecker with hoard by Johnath (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0] 26 (top); Red-breasted sapsucker making holes in tree by Jessica Merz [CC BY 2.0] 26 (bottom); jeffreyw (Uploaded by Snowmanradio) [CC BY 2.0] 27.
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V i s i t U s O n l i n e ! F a c e b o o k . c o m / F u n F o r K i d z • w w w. F u n F o r K i d z . c o m Vol. 16 No. 2 • MAR/APR 2017 Publisher: Thomas M. Edwards Editor: Marilyn Edwards Associate Editor: Diane Winebar Graphic Design: Gaurakisora Tucker Marketing Director: Jonathan Edwards
FUN FOR KIDZ (ISSN 1536-898X) is published bi-monthly by the Bluffton News Publishing and Printing Company, P.O. Box 227, 101 N. Main St., Bluffton, OH 45817-0227. Telephone: 419-358-4610. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Fun For Kidz, P.O. Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227. Periodical postage is paid at Bluffton, OH and Preston, ID.
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FUN FOR KIDZ, INC. accepts no responsibility whatsoever for Article, Photo & Artwork Submissions: We accept and any injuries arising out of the use or misuse of ideas, materials, encourage article, photo and artwork submissions. Unsolicited and activities featured in its publications or products. materials will be considered for publication and will be returned Science Editor: Larry White Copyright © 2017 by the Bluffton News Publishing and Printing if accompanied by sufficient first-class postage. Guidelines are Co. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be available with a SASE. The publisher accepts no responsibility Science Illustrator: Alan Wassilak reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Riding ... with Max & Gracie Editor: Lisa Rehfuss FUN FOR KIDZ™, and the FUN FOR KIDZ logo™, are trademarks for unsolicited material. of FUN FOR KIDZ, The Bluffton News Publishing and Printing Co. Submissions should be sent to FUN FOR KIDZ, INC. Cover Artist: Chris Sabatino P.O. Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227.
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Cave Writing
Yodeling
Animal Chatter
Talking Hands
Super Sleuths
A Pair of Shoots
Klever Kodes
Unbreakable Code What’s Your Ring Tone?