Surprising Oddities of Nature (bug, insects, birds, ants)

[jtur88]

(Similar threads exist in a few other forums, so let's try it here.)

Bats have fairly decent vision, possibly about as good as humans, but they do not rely on it for navigation. So most people are "as blind as a bat".

[jtur88]

Here's another one. You have probably already heard that the Koala has an appendix that is six feet long.

But even more interesring is that most higher animals do not have an appendix at all. The only mammals that have an appendix are the Marsupials, Primates and Rodents. Koalas are marsupials, which evolved the appendix after they had already followed a separate evolutionary track from the Euarchontoglires mammals.

[Kracer]

Horses, rats and deer have no gall bladders.

Camels and birds have nucleated red blood cells.

Weasel family members, an example mink, can delay conception similar to insects which have a spermatheca.

Ants belong to the family formicidae, named for the high content of formic acid in their bodies. Birds may be seen, if you are lucky, 'anting'. they crush the ants and preen their feathers as a insecticide against lice. I saw this twice.

Black rat snake shakes its tail against dead leaves at the same rhythm to mimic a rattler. It works! Yeah that's a black rat snake, let me grab it for a closer look...oops could I have mis id'd a rattler....stops you for a good long second.

Ruffed grouse will fly and dive into deep snow and tunnel several feet forward under vigin snow. When you walk by the undisturbed snow, the grouse will fly out to scare the wits out of you.

[jtur88]

The ovum of the female Armadillo always undergoes double division, invariably resulting in the birth of identical quadruplets.

[J5K5LY]

I like this thead. Keep going!

[uggabugga]

rats and horses can't vomit.

[tamiznluv]

Originally Posted by uggabugga

rats and horses can't vomit.

Neither can birds.

[Va-Cat]

Originally Posted by tamiznluv

Neither can birds.

Not completely true. A Turkey vulture if cornered will vomit up the rancid food it eats to hopefully allow it to make an escape.

[brokencrayola]

Originally Posted by tamiznluv

Neither can birds.

Many birds feed their babies by regurgitating, or throwing up the food in their crop.

[tamiznluv]

Originally Posted by brokencrayola

Many birds feed their babies by regurgitating, or throwing up the food in their crop.

Yes, I know that. I was thinking of vomitting in the real sense, like if they ate something bad, they can't just throw it up like we do.