The sword-billed hummingbird has exclusive access to food that other birds simply cannot reach, but having such a long bill does have its drawbacks.
The sword-billed hummingbird is a neotropical species of hummingbird from the Andean regions of South America. It is the sole member of the genus Ensifera and is characterized by its unusually long bill; it is the only bird to have a beak longer than the rest of its body.
Filming birds that dance and pose isn’t easy, but cameraman/producer Paul Stuart reveals how this iconic sequence was captured.
From spiders with superpowers to spiders with 25m webs, we look back at some of our favourite arachnid moments from the BBC Earth Archive.
Throughout winter, the rivers are full of food for those who know how to hunt it, and this tenacious bobcat is trying to catch his next meal.
Bobcats are small wild cats with reddish-brown or yellowish-brown coats, streaked with black or dark brown. They have prominent, pointed ears with a tuft of black hair at the tip. Females average 20 pounds and males weigh from 16 to 30 pounds. They breed in late winter or early spring and have a gestation period of about two months. A female may have one to six kittens each year. Although adapted to a variety of habitats across the country, they do not tolerate the deep snows found in much of Yellowstone, and thus they are usually reported in the northern portion of the park. Bobcats move about their home ranges most actively in the hours near dawn and dusk, hunting small mammals such as mice, rabbits, hares, and deer. They seek cover in conifer stands and on rocky ledges.
The Christmas Island red crab is of land crab that is endemic to Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean. Although restricted to a relatively small area, an estimated 43.7 million adult red crabs once lived on Christmas Island alone,[3] but the accidental introduction of the yellow crazy ant is believed to have killed about 10–15 million of these in recent years.[4] Christmas Island red crabs make an annual mass migration to the sea to lay their eggs in the ocean.[5] Although its population is under great assault by the ants,[6] as of 2020 the red crab had not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and it was not listed on their Red List.
Dolphins are among some of the most intelligent creatures on our planet, capable of ingenious hunting methods and playing games.
After over 400 years, these incredible beavers have made a comeback in the UK.
New scientific research from the University of Bristol in the UK has discovered that some spiders use static electricity to aid flight.
We’ve dug into the BBC Earth archives to bring you the very best Killer Whale moments released on the channel to date. Let us know in the comments below which is your favourite!
The killer whale or orca is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. Killer whales have a diverse diet, although individual populations often specialize in particular types of prey.
We’ve dug into the BBC Earth archives to bring you the best Gorilla moments released on the channel to date. Let us know in the comments below which is your favourite.
Boomers Daily 