Kids enjoy learning about birds

Jackson Elementary School students laughed, exclaimed and just sat there with their mouths wide open when they learned some interesting bird facts.

Last Wednesday, two employees from Scales and Tails Utah were happy to tell the students everything they wanted to know about the birds they had in the show. During the first show, students learned about birds and in the second show, they taught the kids about reptiles.

Drew Webb told the kids all birds are unpredictable. He then asked the children to describe to him what qualities make a bird.

They narrowed it down to beak, flight, no teeth, feathers and birds hatch out of eggs.

Webb then told the children that they can tell a lot about a bird by looking at its beak. The shape of the beak will often give hints as to what it might eat. Take the umbrella cockatoo for example. The umbrella cockatoo will use its beak and tongue to open up sunflower seeds to get to the seed inside.

Next, the children learned about messenger birds. He brought out a white bird and asked the children if it was a pigeon or a dove.

After their responses, Webb informed the children that they are the same thing. Pigeons are incredibly smart and they will always remember where their home is. He then talked about one famous pigeon called Cher Ami, which is French for dear friend. This bird was a messenger bird used during World War 1.

Cher Ami was the third and last bird sent to get a message to U.S. Troops. About 200 lives were saved because even though she was shot three times, Cher Ami continued to fly and deliver the message.

She recovered from her battle wounds, but not without losing sight in one of her eyes and a leg. After she did die, her body was preserved and is now on display in the Smithsonian.

Webb then showed the group a bird that's is not only in Wyoming, but all over America. The European Starling was brought from Europeans in when they migrated to America. They released 60 birds in Central Park in New York City and now their are more than 2 million. Webb said this is a type of bird that is an invasive species.

The students also met a green-winged Macaw named Chicken and Charlie a rainbow lorikeet who loves to eat nectar more than just about anything. Chicken finished off the show by showing off his wing span.