The Life of Birds

A Superb Lyrebird mimics the sound of a camera, car alarm and a chainsaw!

Birds first took to the air one hundred and fifty million years ago. When the dinosaurs disappeared, some birds abandoned flight and made a bid to take over the earth. And some are still doing so today.

Speed, endurance and unrivalled agility are the hallmarks of the aces of the skies. But what are the secrets of their aeronautical skills?

A huge diversity of bill shapes and sizes have evolved to cope with all the most difficult-to-find foods. Even so, some birds have to use two tools to help them.

Flesh is a rich source of energy, but both hunters and scavengers need incredible strategies and skills to compete for their elusive prey.

The earth's vast areas of fresh and salt water are a cornucopia of millions of birds from humble filter feeders to majestic fish eagles.

Communication - by beautiful songs and extraordinary patterns of colour makes everything possible, from deterring predators and intimidating rivals, to impressing potential mates.

Extraordinary displays and bizarrely beautiful mating rituals play a vital part in the crucial business of attracting - and keeping - a mate.

The drive to reproduce is fraught with danger, from the battle for a nest site to the unrelenting threat of predators.

With insatiable appetites to provide for and the need for unfailing vigilance, bringing up baby is a full-time job that requires some very special skills.

In the unending struggle for survival, changes and disasters wrought by both nature and man create new challenges that must constantly be met and overcome.