Tag: South America
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Unlocking the secrets of the Sword-Billed Hummingbird’s open beak
The Sword-billed hummingbird has the longest beak in proportion to its body compared to any other bird. Why is this, and what secrets are behind the Sword-billed Hummingbird’s open beak? Let’s have a look. First of all, look at that extensive beak, much longer than the bird’s body. Beakonomics: Measuring Up the Sword-Billed Hummingbird The…
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Get up close with a jaguarundi, the otter cat
The jaguarundi is a small cat species native to Central and South America, extending from Argentina to the southern United States. It has a narrow head, a slender body, and a long tail. The wild cat grows up to 2.3 feet and weighs as much as 20 pounds, roughly double the size of a domestic…
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The Potoo bird may be the scariest bird you’ve ever seen
The Potoo bird, or Ghost bird from Central and South America, gives off a startling expression. The strange-looking bird possesses a hooked snake-like bill with a massive gape the animal uses to swallow moths and other insects. But even more freaky are their yellow googly eyes that glow up at night. Potoo birds control pupil…
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Mount Roraima: An island in the clouds
Mount Roraima is a tabletop mountain located in the deep rainforest of Venezuela’s Canaima National Park. It serves as the tripoint of Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil. Mount Roraima forms the highest peak of the Pakaraima chain of Tepuis plateaus in South America, standing 9,200 feet with a 12-square-mile summit area and 1,300-foot tall cliffs. It’s no wonder…