Original subtitles

.

NARRATOR: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL, YOU KNOW YOU'RE

WATCHING TELEVISION THAT IS EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: HI, EVERYONE, I'M DYLAN DREYER.

GET READY FOR AN ADVENTURE ACROSS THE WILDEST REGIONS OF

THE PLANET.

THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE TAKING FLIGHT TO SEE HOW SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST

UNIQUE FEATHERED FLEDGLINGS THRIVE IN THE WILD.

WE'LL DISCOVER A BIRD SPECIES THAT DOESN'T FLOCK.

THEY SWARM BY THE THOUSANDS.

THEN IT'S OFF TO SOUTH AFRICA, WHERE ONE FASHIONABLE FLYER

COMPLETELY CHANGES THEIR OUTFIT TO MATCH THE SEASON.

PLUS, WE'LL CATCH A COUPLE OF COLORFUL CHARACTERS DIGGING

AROUND FOR THE PERFECT NEST.

BUT FIRST, WE HEAD TO THE AFRICAN SAVANNAH TO SEE A BIRD

WHO USES ITS SPEED ON THE GROUND, NOT THE AIR, TO ESCAPE

PREDATORS IN PURSUIT.

ALL OF THIS COMING UP ON TODAY'S "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ADAPTABLE, CLEVER, AND ENDURING, BIRDS ARE SOME OF THE

MOST FASCINATING CREATURES ON THE PLANET.

WITH MORE THAN 10,000 SPECIES IN EXISTENCE, EACH HAS THEIR OWN

UNIQUE METHOD OF SURVIVAL THAT SETS THEM APART.

FOR SOME, THAT MEANS FLYING THOUSANDS OF MILES FOR FOOD AND

BREEDING GROUNDS, WHILE FOR OTHERS,

IT MEANS NOT FLYING AT ALL.

AND IN THE AFRICAN PLAINS, ONE SPECIES OF BIRD USES THEIR

SKILLS ON THE GROUND TO THRIVE IN A POTENTIALLY HOSTILE

ATMOSPHERE.

THIS IS A TRUE ICON OF AFRICAN BIRD LIFE.

IT HAS A BEAK...

...WINGS, FEATHERS, AND IT LAYS EGGS.

THIS MEANS THAT THE OSTRICH IS WITHOUT QUESTION A BIRD.

BUT APART FROM THAT, IT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH IN COMMON WITH THE

OTHER APPROXIMATELY 2,600 SPECIES OF BIRDS IDENTIFIED IN

THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.

THE WORLD'S OLDEST AND LARGEST BIRD, THE OSTRICH CAN WEIGH MORE

THAN 200 POUNDS.

IT'S ESTIMATED TO BE SEVEN TIMES TOO HEAVY TO BE ABLE TO FLY.

IT WOULD NEED 60 POUNDS OF MUSCLES TO WORK ITS WINGS.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH ROOM ON ITS

SKELETON FOR THE FLIGHT MUSCLES.

IT DOESN'T HAVE THE BONY RIDGE ON THE STERNUM THAT

OTHER BIRDS HAVE.

AND ANYWAY, THE OSTRICH WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM

WITH ITS FEATHERS.

THE FEATHERS HAVE THIS FLUFFY LOOK BECAUSE OF THE FILAMENTS

THEY'RE MADE OF.

THE VEINS, OR BARBS, ARE ALL SEPARATE.

THEY AREN'T ATTACHED TO EACH OTHER, LIKE IN OTHER BIRDS, BY

TINY BARBED HOOKS BECAUSE THE OSTRICH DOESN'T HAVE ANY.

AS A RESULT, THE FEATHERS ARE NOT RIGID.

THEY CAN'T GIVE THE AIR ANY SUPPORT.

BUT THEIR FEATHERS DO OFFER A DIFFERENT ADVANTAGE.

THEIR PLUMAGE IS A WONDERFUL INSULATOR.

IT ALLOWS THE OSTRICH TO LIVE IN DRY REGIONS, WHERE IN THEORY,

LIONS AND CHEETAHS, THE BIRD'S MAIN PREDATORS, ARE NOT FOUND IN

LARGE NUMBERS.

WHEN IT DRINKS, THE OSTRICH SHOWS ITSELF TO BE A BIRD LIKE

ANY OTHER.

LIKE ALL BIRDS, IT USES ITS BEAK AS A SCOOP.

THE OSTRICH DRINKS ONLY A LITTLE WITH EACH BEAKFUL.

TO QUENCH ITS THIRST, IT HAS TO KEEP AT IT.

THIS DOES HAVE AN ADVANTAGE.

THE BIRD HAS TIME TO KEEP AN EYE ON ITS SURROUNDINGS.

THERE IS ONE BIRD, THOUGH, THAT DRINKS DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHERS.

THAT'S THE KORI BUSTARD.

IT RIVALS THE EUROPEAN BUSTARD FOR THE TITLE OF

LARGEST FLYING BIRD.

SINKING DOWN ON THE LOWER PART OF THE LEGS, THEY SWALLOW WATER

IN LONG GULPS.

IT'S A UNIQUE WAY FOR A BIRD TO DRINK.

BUSTARDS ARE SOLITARY, OR LIVE WITH ONE OR TWO OTHER

INDIVIDUALS.

HERE ARE TWO MALES, TWO LARGE BIRDS MORE THAN THREE FEET TALL.

THEY WEIGH ABOUT 35 POUNDS.

THE FEMALES WEIGH HALF THAT.

THEY HAVE THE SAME PLUMAGE, ALL IN SHADES OF GRAY AND BEIGE THAT

BLENDS PERFECTLY WITH ROCKS, DRIED GRASSES, AND DEAD WOOD.

AND CAMOUFLAGE IS VITAL TO A BIRD THAT RARELY FLIES AND

SPENDS MOST OF ITS LIFE ON THE GROUND, UNABLE TO FLY AWAY

FROM DANGER.

COMING UP, THIS FLOCK OF BIRDS PROVES THERE'S MORE

POWER IN NUMBERS.

THEN, IN SOUTH AFRICA, SEE WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO SHAKE YOUR

TAILFEATHERS.

AND ALONG THE RIVERBANKS, NESTING MEANS GETTING INTO THE

TEAM SPIRIT.

ALL THIS AND MORE WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FOR BIRDS AROUND THE WORLD, FINDING WATER IS

PARAMOUNT TO SURVIVAL, ESPECIALLY DURING THE DRY SEASON

IN AFRICA.

THIS POND IS A GODSEND, ATTRACTING A FEW MAMMALS AND ALL

SORTS OF BIRDS.

THESE GREY LOERIES ARE BEING WATCHFUL.

THEY TAKE TURNS DRINKING.

THERE'S ALWAYS ONE ON THE LOOKOUT.

THE CAPE TURTLE DOVES KNOW ALL ABOUT IT.

THERE'S ALWAYS A JACKAL WAITING FOR THEM AT THE WATER HOLE.

SO, THEY'VE ADOPTED A VERY SIMPLE STRATEGY.

THEY COME TO DRINK IN GROUPS, DISPERSING THEMSELVES AROUND THE

WATER HOLE, THUS DISCOURAGING THEIR PREDATOR BY DISTRACTING

ITS ATTENTION.

LIKE THESE NAMAQUA SANDGROUSE, MANY BIRDS LIVE IN GROUPS AND

SYNCHRONIZE THEIR ACTIVITIES.

THE NUMBER STATISTICALLY REDUCES THE RISK FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TO

FALL VICTIM TO A PREDATOR.

ONE SPECIES HAS CARRIED THIS LOGIC TO ITS EXTREME,

THE QUELEA.

THIS CLOUD IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN 100,000 BIRDS.

THEY MOVE IN AN UNPREDICTABLE WAY LOOKING FOR FOOD.

QUELEAS LIVE ON SEEDS, AND IN DRY REGIONS LIKE THIS ONE,

FINDING THEIR FOOD IS NOT EASY.

WHEN THEY DO FIND SOME, THEY FLY IN, IN WAVES, READY FOR A FEAST.

SO THAT ALL THE BIRDS GET THEIR FAIR SHARE OF THE FOOD, THE

MAKEUP OF THE CLOUDS CHANGES FOR EACH FLIGHT.

BIRDS AT THE TAIL END GO TO THE FRONT, SO THIS TIME, THEY'LL BE

THE FIRST TO LAND.

THE SYNCHRONIZATION OF BIRDS FLYING IN TIGHT FORMATION IS

ASTOUNDING.

IN FACT, EACH BIRD HAS PERFECT MASTERY OF ITS IMMEDIATE SPACE

AND REACTS WITHIN FRACTIONS OF A SECOND TO ANY MOVE OF ITS

NEIGHBOR.

INDIVIDUALLY, THE QUELEA IS JUST A DULL-COLORED LITTLE BIRD, BUT

TOGETHER, QUELEAS PROVIDE ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING SIGHTS

IN THE BIRD WORLD.

WHEN WE COME BACK, A DYNAMIC DOVE THAT CHANGES ITS COLORS

WITH THE SEASON.

THEN, A RELAY TEAM THAT HAS TO BE RELIANT ON THEIR WINGS.

THIS AND MUCH MORE WHEN WE RETURN TO "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: EVEN IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM, APPEARANCES AREN'T

EVERYTHING.

HOWEVER, APPEARANCES CAN PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE FOR SOME SPECIES

WHEN IT COMES TIME TO FIND A PARTNER.

FOR BIRDS, THIS MEANS VIBRANT DISPLAYS OF THEIR FEATHERS OR

BEAKS, WHILE FOR OTHERS, MORE OF A DANCE ROUTINE.

BUT ONE SPECIES TAKES THEIR APPEARANCE TO THE EXTREME,

CHANGING THEIR ENTIRE LOOK TO ATTRACT THE RIGHT MATE.

THIS ODD AVIAN IS A VERITABLE ONE-BIRD SHOW UNTO ITSELF.

THE LONG-TAILED WIDOW.

ITS BEAUTIFUL LONG TRAIN THAT DRAGS BEHIND IT LOOKS A LITTLE

LIKE A VEIL,

SO IT'S ALSO CALLED THE BLACK WIDOW.

THE LONG-TAILED WIDOW DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE THIS PLUMAGE.

USUALLY, IT'S A SIMPLE LITTLE BIRD LESS NOTICEABLE THAN THE

HIGH GRASS IT STANDS ON.

IT LOOKS MORE LIKE A SORT OF BEIGE SPARROW.

BUT DURING THE MATING SEASON, THE MALE MOLTS IN ONE OF THE

MOST INCREDIBLE WAYS IMAGINABLE.

IT BECOMES COMPLETELY BLACK, BUT FOR RED AND WHITE EPAULETS ON

ITS WINGS, AND IT GROWS LONG TAILFEATHERS.

DECKED IN SUCH FINERY, THE BIRD FLIES OVER ITS TERRITORY WITH A

SINGLE OBJECTIVE, SEDUCING FEMALES.

THE LONG-TAILED WIDOW IS POLYGAMOUS.

IT CAN HAVE UP TO FOUR MATES WHO ARE ESPECIALLY ATTRACTED TO

MALES WITH LONG TAILFEATHERS.

BUT THE LONGER THE FEATHERS, THE MORE DIFFICULT AND TIRING IT IS

TO FLY.

SO, ANY BIRD STRONG ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THIS SEASONAL HINDRANCE

IS BOUND TO BE A GOOD POTENTIAL PARTNER.

IN THE BIRD WORLD, AS SOON AS THE MATING SEASON IS OVER, THE

MALE RETURNS TO HIS DULLER PLUMAGE, HIS EVERYDAY COLORS.

MOLTING IS UNDERWAY FOR THE SOUTHERN RED BISHOPS.

THEY WILL LOSE THEIR SCARLET LIVERY TO TAKE ON THE BEIGE

PLUMAGE OF THE FEMALES.

BEIGE IS THE STANDARD COLOR FOR ANIMALS IN THE SAVANNAH,

MORE OR LESS DULL, MORE OR LESS DARK.

IT'S THE SHADE OF MOST CREATURES' COATS.

PLUMAGES FOR MOST ANIMALS ARE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT MILD AND

DISCREET, BUT IN THE BIRD WORLD, WE CAN SEE AN INCREDIBLE ARRAY

OF COLORS THAT ARE FOREIGN TO THE WORLD OF MAMMALS.

COMING UP, A COOING COUPLE THAT HAS TO WORK AS A TEAM IN THE

RACE TO BUILD A PERFECT NEST, NEXT ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC,

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN NATURE, THERE ARE VERY FEW ANIMALS THAT

HAVE AS VARIED COLOR SCHEMES AS BIRDS.

SOME ARE COMPLETELY WHITE, LIKE THESE CATTLE EGRETS.

WHILE OTHERS HAVE BRIGHT COLORS, LIKE THE RED BREAST OF THE

GROUND HORNBILL THAT CONTRASTS WITH THE DEEP BLACK OF

ITS PLUMAGE.

TO BEGIN WITH, ALL FEATHERS ARE WHITE, BUT OVER TIME, A COATING

OF MELANIN GIVES BIRDS LIKE THE LESSER GRAY SHRIKE...

...THE FORKED DRONGO...

...AND THE STARLING THEIR PATENTED BLACK PIGMENT.

THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE PLUMAGE OF SADDLE-BILLED STORKS.

THIS LARGE BIRD MEASURES ALMOST FIVE FEET TALL, AND THE MALE AND

FEMALE ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL.

BUT TWO DETAILS SHOW THAT THIS IS A MALE.

FIRST, ITS EYE IS BLACK, WHEREAS IN THE FEMALE,

THE EYE IS YELLOW.

ALSO, THE TWO LITTLE SHREDS OF YELLOW SKIN HANGING FROM THE

BASE OF HIS BEAK INDICATE HE IS IN THE REPRODUCTIVE PERIOD.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST PIGMENTS THAT GIVE BIRDS THEIR

BEAUTIFUL COLORS.

SOMETIMES IT CAN BE A TRICK OF THE LIGHT.

WITH BEE-EATERS, IT'S OFTEN A COMBINATION OF BOTH.

LIKE MANY BIRDS, WHEN THEY ARE YOUNG, SOUTHERN CARMINE

BEE-EATERS HAVE DULLER PLUMAGE.

IT'S ONLY THE ADULTS THAT HAVE THIS LONG TAIL AND

VIBRANT COLORS.

BEE-EATERS HAVE DIFFERENT PLUMAGES ACCORDING TO

THE SPECIES.

THE WHITE-FRONTED BEE-EATER HAS A GREEN BACK, YELLOW BELLY, AND

A RED THROAT...

...WHEREAS THE EUROPEAN BEE-EATER, WHICH WINTERS IN

AFRICA, HAS A BLUE BELLY.

ITS THROAT IS YELLOW AND ITS BACK GOLDEN.

WHILE THEY MAY LOOK DIFFERENT, ALL BEE-EATERS HAVE THE SAME

HUNTING TECHNIQUE.

THEY LAND ON A BRANCH TO OBSERVE INSECTS PASSING AROUND THEM,

AND WHEN THEY HAVE LOCATED PREY, THEY LAUNCH AN ATTACK,

TRYING TO CATCH THE INSECTS ON THE WING.

IF THERE ARE A LOT OF BEETLES IN ONE PLACE, IT SUGGESTS IT'S A

GOOD HUNTING GROUND.

ONE BIRD MAKES SEVERAL HUNDRED FLIGHTS A DAY.

IT'S THOUGHT THAT ONLY ABOUT ONE IN THREE IS PRODUCTIVE.

BEES AND WASPS MAKE UP MOST OF THE CATCH.

ONCE BACK ON ITS PERCH, THIS LITTLE BEE-EATER SHAKES THE

INSECT VIGOROUSLY TO GET RID OF ITS VENOM.

THIS SPECIES IS NOT ONLY THE SMALLEST OF ALL THE BEE-EATERS,

IT'S ALSO THE ONLY ONE TO NEST ALONE.

OTHER BEE-EATERS NEST IN COLONIES, LIKE THIS, THE

WHITE-FRONTED BEE-EATER.

WHEN THEY NEST TOGETHER, THEY PREFER TO CHOOSE RIVERBEDS...

...OR MORE PRECISELY, SLOPING RIVERBANKS.

THE BIRDS ARE HARD AT WORK, BUILDING THIS COLONY THAT WILL

NUMBER ABOUT 20 NESTS.

ONCE THEY'VE CHOSEN THE PERFECT SPOT, BEE-EATERS DIG WITH THEIR

BEAKS, SUPPORTING THEMSELVES ON THEIR WINGS WHILE PUSHING THE

RUBBLE OUT WITH THEIR FEET.

BOTH MALES AND FEMALES WILL TAKE PART IN BUILDING THE NEST, BUT

AS THE OPENING IS NARROW, THEY TAKE TURNS, WORKING IN RELAYS,

WHICH EXPLAINS THIS CONSTANT ACTIVITY.

IN ORDER TO PREVENT FLOODING FROM RAINWATER, THE HOLES ARE

DUG SLOPING GENTLY UPWARDS.

AS AN EXTRA PRECAUTION, THE CHAMBER WHERE THE EGGS WILL BE

LAID IS A FEW FEET AWAY FROM THE TUNNEL'S ENTRANCE.

THIS WILL KEEP THE EGGS AND CHICKS OUT OF THE REACH OF

BABOONS' HANDS AND STORKS' BEAKS, ENSURING EVERY MEMBER OF

THE FLOCK CAN THRIVE IN THE UNPREDICTABLE WILD.

ON EVERY CONTINENT, BIRDS OFFER US A VIVID DISPLAY OF

LIFE AND COLOR.

THE BEAUTY AND VIBRANCE OF THEIR FEATHERS AND FEATURES PLAY AN

INTEGRAL ROLE IN HOW THEY HUNT, MATE, AND LIVE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US ON TODAY'S ADVENTURE.

I HOPE TO SEE YOU FOR THE NEXT ONE HERE ON

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]