Tuesday, March 26, 2013

What A Strange Bird...!



Now here is something I have never heard of, but it doesn't really surprise me.

There are just so many strange birds and other animals out there that you could find out something new each and every day. Maybe that's one reason there are so many bird watchers out there! Seems like we are always on a quest to find something strange or different, and this bird would certainly fit the bill!

Thanks to the fine folks over at Listverse for finding stuff like this to educate us all!

Bird With Hands
Hoatzin-Info0
 
It is said a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, but of the 10,000 species of birds on earth, there is one species with its own hands. The Hoatzin is a bizarre, primitive relative of the Cuckoo bird native to South American Rain forests, with a strange reptilian relic. When the chicks hatch, it quickly becomes apparent that these birds have retained incredibly primitive traits stemming back to birds hypothesized therapod dinosaur origins. Two hands, armed with sharp claws extend from the bird’s wing joints, and are used to climb the trees to safety. Interestingly, the hoatzin is also the only ruminant bird, and has evolved the same dieting system as cattle, feeding upon fermenting green plant material in a second stomach

This bird looks like something that belongs in a B horror movie, ya know? Wonder what other surprises Mother Nature has in store for us? On second thought, I probably don't want to know!

Coffee in the kitchen this morning. It got cold again last night, and it's warmer by the stove!

11 comments:

Baby Sis said...

Bubba - I don't want to think of birds that have hands - makes you wonder what else might have the same, but you just nover thought about it. Creepy - interesting, but creepy.
Thanks for something new to ponder when I hear rustlings in the dark...

Anonymous said...

The adult bird looks similar to the bird in the Disney / Pixar film UP. I wonder if 'handed anomoly' had anything to do with its depiction ?

A bird with hands that is strange. Then again, my wife has often commented I am sometimes 'bird brained' - not quite sure what she means though, lol.

JMD said...

Morning HJ, strange traits to this one bird. That would be something to see a bird climb a tree that way.

We are finally warming up...not a moment too soon.

Phelan said...

Ok. That's cool.

linda m said...

It is a very pretty bird but I don't know about the "hands" part. I can just see "Godzilla" next to the bird. Still cold here also with a few flakes coming down.

Phyllis (N/W Jersey) said...

Amazing! Followed the link and discovered the 'hands' are gone by the time they are ready to fly. Would love to see one as I love all birds - even turkey vultures (which roost in our trees every year)!
Coffee by the stove is the normal for us up here....

JO said...

Now that is interesting. Learn someting new here all the time.
Thank you.
I see the scammers are now using names to get on the comment list, may have to do the check comments before they show. How sad we have to do this.

Dizzy-Dick said...

I wonder if they may have bat blood in their family tree?

Wanda Thompson-Kiel said...

...and you haven't even touched on some of those things that dwell down deep in the ocean where light and man never go - what there must be down there is stuff movies are made of...interesting post Jim.

HermitJim said...

Hey Sis...
You know me...always looking for a way to make things interesting!

Thanks for coming by today!



Hey Anon 7:23...
I wonder what would cause the wife to ever think that?

Must just be a term of affection, right?

Thanks for coming by today!



Hey JMD...
It would be interesting to watch, wouldn't it?

Glad you are warming up some, and that you could visit today!



Hey Phelan...
Glad you think so!

I appreciate the visit this morning!


Hey Linda...
It is pretty except for the claw part!

Sorry to hear about the snow and cold.

Many thanks for dropping by today!



Hey Phyllis...
I think that all critters are interesting in their own way!

Vultures are not something I would want roosting around my house! I might think they were waiting for me, ya know?

I'm glad you stopped by today!



Hey Jo...
The spammers can be very creative when they want to. Takes work to keep them off!

Thanks, sweetie, for coming over today!



Hey Dizzy...
No telling what's in their bloodline. Do we really want to know?

Thanks, buddy, for coming over today!



Hey Wanda...
Many strange and wonderful critters under water, that's for sure!

The world is diverse, if nothing else!

Thanks for coming by!

Hermit Ladee said...

Very interesting! I'd much rather see a bird with hands that has a stomach like a cow than I'd ever want to see a cow with wings!