Resource: Little Brain, Big Journey
Media Type:
QuickTime Video
Length: 2m 41s
Size: 7.3 MB
The Rufous hummingbird is a small wonder that, with respect to body size, migrates farther than any other creature on earth. The brightly colored, feisty bird breeds from southern Alaska to northern California and then spends the winter in Mexico. Though their brains are approximately the size of a grain of rice, Rufous hummingbirds have an excellent memory for locating flowers from year to year. In this video segment from Nature, learn about the little brain and big journey of the Rufous hummingbird.
Alternate Media Available:
Transcript (Rich Text Format Document)
Loading reviews...Teachers' Domain, Little Brain, Big Journey, published November 18, 2008, retrieved on ,
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/nat08.living.reg.adapt.journey/
- Background Essay
- Questions for Discussion
- Standards
Print Background EssayAs hummingbirds and other bird species evolved over time, they developed a variety of traits and skills beneficial to both the birds themselves and to the continuation of their species. The vast array of hummingbird species is an example of the result of these evolutionary processes. Certain birds have developed beaks allowing them to feed at particular flowers, others have cultivated brightly colored plumage, and yet others are known for the exceptional skills at navigation. Many highly skilled bird behaviors are innate - certain bird species are born with these abilities, as is the case of the homing pigeon’s innate homing ability. Scientists often do not know how these skills have been acquired in the population, except to note that these traits became advantageous for the birds as their populations evolved in their respective environments.
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See Also:
K-12 Subject:
Adaptation
Lesson Plans Using this Resource:
Source: Nature: "Extraordinary Birds"
Resource Produced by:
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Major corporate support for the Nature collection was provided by Canon U.S.A. and SC Johnson. Additional support was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the nation’s public television stations.