Original subtitles

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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 AND

IT'S TIME TO EXPLORE THE WORLD'S WILDEST SKIES.

THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE TAKING AN UP-CLOSE LOOK AT SOME UNIQUE AND

ASTONISHING AVIANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

LIKE THIS GRACEFUL GIANT, AN IMPRESSIVE

FIVE FEET OF FEATHERS.

AND AN EXOTIC EXAMPLE OF UNQUESTIONABLE BEAUTY.

LATER, WE'LL WADE THROUGH THE WEEDS WITH THIS HUNGRY PARENT.

BUT WE START BY MEETING A BIRD THAT BREAKS THE NORM, GIVING UP

FLYING FOR CLIMBING.

GET READY FOR A WILD ADVENTURE.

THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN GENERAL, FOR US, BIRDS EQUAL FLYING, WINGED,

GRACEFUL CREATURES SOARING THROUGH THE SKY.

HOWEVER, THERE IS A WHOLE GROUP OF BIRDS DEFINED BY THEIR

INABILITY TO TAKE OFF AND PREFER A LIFE MORE GROUNDED.

LIKE GALEIFORMS, AN ORDER OF HEAVY-BODIED, GROUND-FEEDING

SPECIES THAT INCLUDE TURKEYS AND QUAIL.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE A FEW MORE EXOTIC EXAMPLES OF THESE

FLIGHTLESS FANCIES HIDDEN AMONG THE TREES IN CENTRAL AMERICA.

TAKE A LOOK.

IN EVERY ENVIRONMENT ON EARTH, THE HARVEST SEASON IS A WELCOME

SIGHT, PRODUCING AN ABUNDANCE OF FOOD.

BUT NOT EVERYONE GOES ABOUT ENJOYING THESE FEASTS IN THE

SAME WAY.

SOME HAVE A MORE UNIQUE APPROACH.

A TREE-DWELLING SPECIES OF THE GALEIFORMS, OR BIGGER BODIED,

MOSTLY FLIGHTLESS BIRDS, HAS LOCATED THIS NOURISHING MANOR.

IT'S A BLACK GUAN, ENDEMIC TO COSTA RICA AND PANAMA.

THIS CLIMBING BIRD IS VERY MUCH AT HOME

IN THE AGUACATILLOS TREES.

ITS FEEDING HABITS ARE VERY DIFFERENT.

IT ASKS NO QUESTIONS, IT JUST CONSUMES.

ITS LARGE SIZE ALLOWS IT TO SWALLOW THE FRUIT WHOLE.

AND ITS ANATOMY ALLOWS THE PITS TO BE EVACUATED

BY A NATURAL MEANS.

ANOTHER RESIDENT OF THE CLOUD FORESTS IS THE EMERALD TOUCANET.

AS AN OMNIVORE, THESE BIRDS FEED ON ALL SORTS OF ANIMALS,

INCLUDING INSECTS, BUT ALSO ON CHICKS AND EGGS.

MUCH TO THE DISMAY OF THE QUETZALS,

FOR WHOM THEY ARE FORMIDABLE PREDATORS.

HOWEVER, LIKE THE QUETZALS, THEY EMERALD TOUCANET APPRECIATES

LARGE FRUITS.

IT, TOO, HAS ITS OWN SPECIAL FEEDING METHOD.

IT PITS THE AVOCADO.

AH, IT DROPPED IT.

LUCKILY, THERE'S PLENTY MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM.

AND THIS TIME, THERE'S NO PROBLEM AT ALL.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE QUETZAL HAS A LESS CULINARY APPROACH, SWALLOWING

THEIR FRUITS WHOLE LIKE THE BLACK GUAN.

THIS ONE SWALLOWED AN AVOCADO ABOUT 20 MINUTES AGO.

BY NOW, THE FRUIT IS IN A SPECIAL POUCH, THE

PROVENTRICULUS.

AN ORGAN THAT PREDIGESTS THE FOOD BEFORE IT

ENTERS THE STOMACH.

CHEMICAL DIGESTION IS AT WORK.

NOW IT'S BEEN 25 MINUTES.

THE FRUIT'S PIT CANNOT BE DISSOLVED AND IT'S TOO LARGE TO

PASS THROUGH THE DIGESTIVE TRACT.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: SO, NOW THE BIRD HAS DIGESTED THE PULP AND SKIN.

THE PIT COMES BACK OUT THE WAY IT CAME.

THE QUETZAL IS DOING ITS PART TO REPLENISH THE FOREST, DISPERSING

THE SEEDS OF THE TREES THAT FEED IT.

LIKE A GARDENER, THE QUETZAL REPLANTS THE FOREST.

THE EXACT MOVEMENTS OF THIS BIRD HAVE ONLY

RECENTLY BEEN DISCOVERED.

LIKE MANY OF THE PLANET'S RAREST LIVING TREASURES, THE QUETZAL

AND ITS UNIQUELY EXOTIC ENVIRONMENT REQUIRE CARE AND

PROTECTION TO ENSURE THEIR BRILLIANT ADDITION TO THE WILD

IS NEVER LOST.

WHEN WE RETURN, AN AFRICAN GIANT IS DRESSED TO IMPRESS ALONG THE

AFRICAN RIVERBANKS.

AND THIS COLORFUL CHARACTER TAKES THE SPOTLIGHT

IN THE TROPICS.

PLUS, THE HUNT IS ON FOR THIS HERON WITH

HUNGRY MOUTHS TO FEED.

ALL THIS, NEXT ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WATERING HOLES ARE NEVER SHORT ON PATRONS IN THE WILD.

CONSTANTLY PACKED WITH ALL SORTS OF WONDROUS CREATURES.

LIKE THIS BIRD, THE MARABOU.

ALTHOUGH TYPICALLY A SCAVENGER, HE'LL OFTEN

EAT ANYTHING HE FINDS.

LIKE POSSIBLY, THIS TURTLE.

NOPE.

NO SOONER CAUGHT THAN REJECTED.

PROBABLY A BIT TOO COMPLICATED AS MEALS GO.

THEY'RE CONSUMMATE ARTISTS, WITH AN INCREDIBLE BEARING AND A

LITTLE BIT OF AN ILL TEMPER.

WHEN THEY'RE PERCHED, YOU'D SWEAR THEY HAD NO HEADS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THEY CAN ALSO PLAY THE CLOWN OR AN ACROBAT.

THIS MARABOU GETS CAUGHT UP TRYING TO STEAL

FROM HIS FELLOW BIRD.

LUCKILY, HELP IS NEVER FAR AWAY.

TO AVOID THIS SORT OF MISHAP, THE GREAT WADER CAN ABANDON ITS

INTEREST IN FINDING A MEAL ON LAND AND TURN TO ITS OTHER AREA

OF EXPERTISE: FISHING.

A WHOLE COLONY OF MARABOUS HAS MOVED INTO A BRANCH OF THE RIVER

THAT IS DRYING UP.

THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE

OF THE OPPORTUNITY.

THERE'S ALSO A HUGE VARIETY OF FISHING BIRDS THERE.

ESPECIALLY STORKS OF ALL SORTS.

RARELY HAS SUCH A RANGE OF AFRICAN STORKS BEEN OBSERVED IN

A SINGLE SPOT.

APART FROM THE MARABOUS, THERE ARE BLACK STORKS

WITH THEIR RED BEAKS.

WOOLLY-NECKED STORKS.

AND YELLOW-BILLED STORKS.

THERE'S ALSO THE OTHER GIANT OF THE FAMILY: THE SADDLE-BILLED

STORK WITH ITS MAGNIFICENT BEAK.

AT APPROXIMATELY FIVE FEET TALL, IT'S ALMOST AS BIG

AS THE MARABOU.

DESPITE ITS DULL COLORING, THIS ONE IS ALSO A SADDLE-BILL, BUT A

YOUNG ONE THAT HASN'T YET GOT ITS ADULT BEAK

OR BEAUTIFUL PLUMAGE.

FISHING IS IN FULL SWING.

WHAT'S SURPRISING IS THAT APART FROM THE SOUNDS OF SPLASHING,

THIS SCENE HAPPENS IN COMPLETE SILENCE.

NOT ONE CRY IS HEARD.

IN FACT, ALL STORKS ARE ALMOST MUTE, UNABLE TO EMIT A SOUND,

EXCEPT IN THE MATING SEASON, WHEN THEY CACKLE A LITTLE.

WHEN THEY'VE EATEN ENOUGH, THESE GREAT BIRDS SIT BY BENDING THEIR

LEGS IN AN ASTONISHING WAY.

THEIR KNEES SEEM TO WORK BACKWARDS.

BUT THIS IS NOT THEIR KNEE JOINT, IT'S THE ANKLE JOINT.

JUST ANOTHER STRANGE SPECIALTY THAT MAKES THESE BIRDS A UNIQUE

PART OF THE WILD.

COMING UP, WE'LL SEE SOME FEATHERED FESTIVITIES

IN THE CARIBBEAN.

AND A HULK-SIZED HERON WHO TAKES THEIR MEALS TO GO.

BUT FIRST, WE'RE HEADED TO BROOKFIELD ZOO

FOR WILDLIFE A-TO-Z.

BEING WILD DOESN'T MEAN AN ANIMAL CAN'T ENJOY

SOME URBAN COMFORTS.

IN FACT, CERTAIN SPECIES, LIKE PELICANS, HAVE COME TO LIVE

RIGHT ALONGSIDE US IN EVEN OUR BUSIEST CITIES.

A PELICAN'S PRESENCE ISN'T EXACTLY HARD TO MISS.

WITH A WINGSPAN THAT CAN REACH UP TO TEN FEET WIDE, WEIGHING IN

AT MORE THAN 30 POUNDS, THEY ARE ONE OF THE

WORLD'S LARGEST BIRDS.

ACCREDITED FACILITIES AROUND THE WORLD, LIKE BROOKFIELD ZOO, HAVE

WELCOMED THESE WINGED WONDERS WITH OPEN ARMS.

THESE PELICANS ARE ALL RESCUED BIRDS AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO

SURVIVE IN THE WILD DUE TO THEIR INJURIES.

BUT HERE, THEY CAN REST, NEST, AND, OF COURSE,

ENJOY A GOOD MEAL.

FOR THESE AWESOME AVIANS, THEY'VE FOUND THE PERFECT PLACE

TO CALL HOME.

STAY TUNED, "EARTH ODYSSEY" WILL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THIS.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK.

I'M HERE AT BROOKFIELD ZOO, AND I'M JOINED BY DR. MIKE ADKESSON.

DR. MIKE, I'M SO CURIOUS.

I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PARROTS, A

PARAKEET BEING ONE OF THOSE TYPES.

WHAT MAKES A PARAKEET SO SPECIAL?

DR. MIKE: SO, THEY'RE ONE OF ABOUT 350 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF

PARROTS, BUT THEY'RE ONE OF THE SMALLEST ONES.

AND THEY'RE ALSO KNOWN FOR BEING FOUND IN HUGE FLOCKS.

JUST LIKE ALL PARROTS, THEY'VE GOT A VERY SHARP BEAK THAT THEY

USE FOR CRACKING OPEN NUTS AND SEEDS THAT THEY

EAT IN THEIR DIET.

DYLAN: MM-HMM.

AND WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH PARROTS BEING ABLE TO TALK.

CAN PARAKEETS TALK, TOO?

DR. MIKE: THEY CAN.

SO, THEY'RE GOOD AT MIMICKING SOUNDS.

PARAKEETS ARE WONDERFUL AT REPLICATING HUMAN SPEECH, BUT

THEY ALSO PICK UP OTHER SOUNDS AROUND THEM.

SO, A TELEPHONE RINGING OR A BEEP, BEEP, BEEP COMING OFF OF

SOMETHING, THEY'RE GREAT AT MAKING THOSE SOUNDS.

DYLAN: THAT'S REALLY COOL.

NOW BACK TO OUR SHOW.

CONSERVATION EFFORTS HELP TO PRESERVE THE ABILITY TO SEE

THESE ANIMAL WONDERS IN THE WILD.

IN THE HEART OF COSTA RICA, WE CAN SEE JUST THAT, WHERE ONE OF

THE WORLD'S MOST ICONIC EXOTIC BIRDS, FLIES FREELY.

THE GREAT GREEN MACAW, OR BUFFON'S MACAW.

GIVEN ITS RARITY, OBSERVING THE BUFFON'S MACAW IN ITS NATURAL

ENVIRONMENT IS A PRIVILEGE.

THIS SOCIAL BIRD ONCE FLOURISHED ACROSS CENTRAL AMERICA.

BUT DEFORESTATION CAUSED BY BANANA CULTIVATION HAS

TRAGICALLY REDUCED ITS NUMBERS.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN ONE CENTURY, 90 PERCENT OF ITS HABITAT

HAS DISAPPEARED.

NOW THAT GROOMING IS FINISHED, IT'S TIME TO FIND SOME LUNCH.

THE GROUP FLIES STRAIGHT TO ITS FAVORITE PANTRY.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THIS PARROT'S TREE IS A PROPER SYMBOL FOR THIS SPECIES.

THE BIRDS USE IT FOR REPRODUCTION

AND FEED FROM IT ABUNDANTLY.

THE ALMENDRO, OR MOUNTAIN ALMOND.

THE FRUIT IS A VERY HARD-SHELLED NUT THAT THE MACAW

SKILLFULLY CRACKS OPEN.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN COSTA RICA, A PROTECTIVE BAN HAS PRESERVED THE

LAST REMAINING FORESTS OF WILD ALMENDRO TREES FROM BEING

DESTROYED, AND A REFORESTATION CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED.

THE CAMPAIGN IS NOW BEARING FRUIT FROM THE MOUNTAIN ALMOND

TREES, OF COURSE.

OF THE 350 SPECIES OF PARROTS AND RELATED BIRDS, 100 ARE IN

DANGER OF EXTINCTION, INCLUDING THE GREAT GREEN MACAW.

AS MORE EMBRACE POLICIES LIKE THE ONES PRACTICED IN COSTA

RICA, WE'LL ALL BE ABLE TO HELP PRESERVE SOME OF EARTH'S MOST

REMARKABLE AND BEAUTIFUL WILDLIFE.

WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL MEET A PAIR OF TINY CHICKS

WITH GOLIATH APPETITES.

THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

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

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THESE STORKS ARE BUSY GATHERING BUILDING MATERIALS FOR

THEIR NESTS.

IT'S A TASK THAT TAKES TIME AND DEDICATION.

MALE OR FEMALE, DEPENDING ON THE SPECIES, BIRDS SHOW DIFFERENT

DEGREES OF INTEREST IN BUILDING THE NESTS.

WITH THESE VULTURES, BOTH MEMBERS OF THE COUPLE TAKE PART

IN THE BUILDING PROJECT.

BUT THEIR NEST IS RUDIMENTARY, CONSISTING OF A ROUGH FRAMEWORK

OF TWIGS AND BRANCHES, WHICH WILL PROBABLY BE HOME TO A

SOLITARY EGG.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: THESE GREAT BIRDS, WITH THEIR FIVE-FOOT WINGSPAN, ALWAYS

BUILD THEIR NESTS HIGH UP IN THE TREETOPS SO THAT THEY CAN EASILY

TAKE FLIGHT.

NEARBY, THERE NESTS A BIRD WHO REFUSES TO GO TO SUCH TROUBLE.

IT BELONGS TO A SPECIES THAT, RATHER THAN BUILD ITS OWN NEST,

PREFERS TO MOVE INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S.

THIS IS THE GIANT EAGLE OWL.

AND THE HUGE NEST IT HAS TAKEN OVER USED TO BELONG

TO A HAMERKOP.

THE HAMERKOP IS A SMALL, UNUSUAL LOOKING MEMBER OF THE

HERON FAMILY.

QUITE DIFFERENT FROM ITS RELATIVES.

IN PARTICULAR, THE LARGEST OF THEM, THE GOLIATH HERON.

THIS WADER IS COMPLETELY UNCONCERNED BY THE ARRIVAL ON

THE RIVERBANK OF AN ENORMOUS CROCODILE.

AS IN FACT, IT HAS LITTLE REASON TO FEAR IT.

THE HERON IS FIXATED ON ITS GOAL OF CATCHING A FISH TO FEED ITS

TWO CHICKS, WHO ARE BEING CARED FOR BY ITS MATE IN THE NEST

THEY'VE BUILT A LITTLE FARTHER ALONG THE RIVERBANK.

THE HERON CHICKS ARE LESS THAN TWO WEEKS OLD.

EACH ONE HATCHED FROM AN EGG THE SAME SIZE AS A CHICKEN'S, AND

THEIR PARENTS TOOK TURNS TO SIT ON THEM FOR A MONTH.

THEY WILL NOT STAY IN THE NEST FOR LONG.

WITHIN THREE WEEKS, THEY'LL BE OUT AND ABOUT.

IT'S NEARLY TIME FOR THESE TWO GRAY HERONS TO LEAVE THE NEST.

THEY NEED JUST A FEW MORE DAYS.

THE ONLY PREREQUISITE FOR LEAVING, IS BEING ABLE TO FLY.

BIRDS NESTS ARE PURELY TEMPORARY DWELLINGS.

THEIR FUNCTION IS TO BE A HOME FOR THE EGGS AND THE CHICKS

DURING THEIR EARLY DAYS.

THEY'RE NEVER INTENDED TO BE PERMANENT HOMES.

WHEN IN TIMES OF BAD WEATHER, THE BIRDS DO NOT TAKE TO THEIR

NESTS, BUT PERCH LIKE THESE WATTLED STARLINGS,

EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS.

CLINGING TO ITS BRANCH, THIS CATTLE EGRET IS CARRYING OUT

SOME RUNNING REPAIRS TO ITS PLUMAGE, RUFFLED BY THE RAIN.

DOWN ON THE GROUND, THIS BLACK-BELLIED BUSTARD'S HABITS

NEVER CHANGE.

SHE CALLS, ANNOUNCING THAT THIS IS HER TERRITORY.

PROUD, PROTECTIVE, A SHINING REMINDER THAT EVERY BIRD IN

THEIR OWN WAY IS A BEAUTIFUL ADDITION

TO EARTH'S ANIMAL KINGDOM.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR A LITTLE BIT

OF BIRDWATCHING.

ALMOST EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK, THERE ARE EYE-CATCHING EXAMPLES

OF EARTH'S 10,000 SPECIES STRONG AVIAN POPULATION.

AND IT'S THANKS TO CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND WILDLIFE PROTECTION

PROGRAMS THAT MANY OF THE MOST EXOTIC, UNIQUE, AND WONDERFUL

BIRDS ARE STILL GRACING THE SKIES WITH THEIR FEATHERED

SPLENDOR, AND HOPEFULLY WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO FOR

GENERATIONS TO COME.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]