10 birds with the most unusual defense mechanisms

• 10 birds with the most unusual defense mechanisms

Exchanging the front legs on the wings, most birds have not lost, because the flight - a very effective way to protect against predators. Flightless birds have their advantages - as a rule, strong legs, sharp claws and the ability to run fast. But there are birds who prefer unconventional methods of defense - talk about them.

Everyone knows that it is better not to irritate skunks, but about hoopoes or fulmars this information, few have heard. Even the most beautiful to look at birds can have very nasty defense mechanisms. On the other hand, the efficiency of - first and foremost.

Rabbit owls, they are the same cave owl or are digging their own burrows, or take someone's empty apartment.

While parents are hunted, the chicks are able to fend for themselves, depicting a drawn hiss and crackle of a rattlesnake.

It can deceive anyone, even a person ... but not real rattlesnakes, which are due to congenital deafness does not hear even its own "rattle".

Hoopoes - excellent fliers, and quickly run through the land. But to completely protect themselves from predators, they smear in their own secretions, smelling like rotten meat. It also protects them from a number of parasites.

In the case of hoopoe also not averse aiming to spoil a mixture of excrement and secretions on the sluggishness of the enemy.

vociferously plovers nest on the ground, which makes them extremely vulnerable chicks. If a parent notices that a jack approaching predator, he skillfully pretending wounded, crawled away and vymanivaya the danger.

Once the chicks are saved, the adult bird immediately forgets about the "broken wing" and flies away.

fulmars - birds from the family of petrels. Despite the name, they are a way of protecting not stupid, though very unpleasant - they throw the enemy disgusting stink gastric fluid orange. Birds of prey smell bad acts, but if the "oil" will get them on the feathers to fly will be much harder. Fulmars themselves against their weapons developed immunity.

The Cuckoo famous for the fact that other people throw eggs in nests. But what about parents who do not want to leave the nest?

Coloring Cuckoo allows one to successfully pretend to be a hawk to chase birds from their homes and peacefully put their own eggs. Such mimicry is also well protected from predators.

Red pygmy owl, despite the small size, successfully prey on other birds, sometimes even twice as large as themselves.

Sometimes small birds get in packs and attack crowds of owls that can be extremely dangerous. To protect the back of the head sparrow owl are two black spots, convincingly mimic the eye. This is confusing and allows attackers Sychu retaliate.

Goatsin - very old bird with a very smelly and almost inedible meat. But their main defense mechanism is different.

Goatsin build nests on the branches of the ponds, and when the chicks are threatened, they dive into the water. The danger has passed - and the birds are taken into the slot on the trunk, using a large powerful claws. In adults, these claws are of normal size.

potoo - genius disguise. Gray-brown color allows it to blend in with the birds on the trees during daytime sleep.

When the nightjar freezes in place, it is nearly impossible to find - and he did not shelohnotsya even approach him closely. It can also watch for predators with eyes closed, thanks to the special sections for centuries.

With bicolor pitohu should not communicate in any circumstances. How poisonous birds can you name? Pitohu - some of them. They absorb a dangerous neurotoxin of poisonous beetles, which eat large quantities. A simple touch of the pitohu can cause severe chemical burns. We own the birds, of course, have long developed an immunity.

white-faced shovels have an amazing gift for transformation. Near a small enemy, they swell up almost half, revealing wings and uttering terrible hiss.