National Bird Day

National Bird Day is on January 5 and is dedicated to the chirping inhabitants of our planet! The purpose of the holiday is not just to tell people about the species but to gather all the forces for their well-being. Unfortunately, most of them are under the threat of extinction, and people themselves are largely to blame.

History

Birds are really unique. They evolved from theropod dinosaurs, so it’s hard to say when a familiar-looking creature appeared. According to some reports, this happened earlier than scientists describe. There is a theory that ancient birds were practically no different from modern ones.

According to another version, the creatures had a body of a more primitive structure. This is how the classification of birds with modern and ancient jaws appeared. The first includes geese, hawks, falcons; the second – ostriches. In Belgium, a fragment of the body of a bird was found in 1991; it is perfectly preserved in the rock. Archaeologists have dated the find to the Cretaceous era. With the help of technology, the researchers found that the bone, previously thought to be the humerus, was actually part of the palate—in living form, the bird was the size of a vulture and had sharp teeth.

National Bird Day was founded in 2002. The idea came from the Bird Welfare Coalition. They dream that every person in the world will understand the problems of birds’ existence and will create a planet suitable for habitation.

Interesting Facts

Did you know that:

• ostriches have big eyes—they weigh more than their brains;
• birds have a temperature 8 degrees higher than humans;
• there are only 6 species of poisonous birds in the world;
• the famous Greater flamingo from the Australian Zoo lived to be 83 years old;
• chickens sometimes play dead in times of danger.

How to Celebrate

National Bird Day is a great date to pay attention to birds! Find out what foods they eat, make a feeder and hang it near your house. They will thank you! Make a donation to foundations that care for the welfare of birds.

When is National Bird Day in 2025?

National Bird Day is observed on January 5 each year.

Observations