- Birds use landmarks to navigate long journeys
- Crocodiles swallow stones for swimming – The reptiles swallow large stones that stay permanently in their bellies. It’s been suggested these are used for ballast in diving.
- Baby chicks practice this “kin selection” by making a special chirp while feeding. This call announces the food find to nearby chicks, who are probably close relations and so share many of the chick’s genes.
- Giraffes compensate for height with unique blood flow -While the advantage of reach is obvious, some difficulties arise at such a height. The heart must pump twice as hard as a cow’s to get blood up to the brain, and a complex blood vessel system is needed to ensure that blood doesn’t rush to the head when bent over. Six feet below the heart, the skin of the legs must then be extremely tight to prevent blood from pooling at the hooves.
- Parrots talk more than just squawking. Parrot speech is commonly regarded as the brainless squawking of a feathered voice recorder. But studies over the past 30 years continually show that parrots engage in much more than mere mimicry.
