Did you know… Birds are some of the most bizarre creatures on the planet. Poisonous birds! The Hooded Pitohui (and a few related species) are among the only known poisonous birds. Their skin and feathers contain batrachotoxin-like compounds that cause numbness, burning, and a foul taste. Birds that set their world on fire! Australian “Firehawks”, like black kites, whistling kites, and brown falcons in northern Australia have been observed picking up smoldering sticks or grass from existing fires and dropping them into dry vegetation to start new fires. This flushes out prey like insects, lizards, and small mammals. A bird the plays dead! The Kakapo, a flightless nocturnal parrot from New Zealand is the world’s heaviest parrot (up to ~4 kg / 9 lbs) and instead of flying from threats, it freezes in place and relies on excellent camouflage— a strategy that worked for millions of years until humans and introduced predators arrived. A bird that hibernates! The only bird known to truly hibernate is the Common Poorwill (a nightjar from North America). In winter, it can slash its oxygen use by ~90%, drop its body temperature to around 5°C (41°F), and enter a torpid state for weeks or months while hidden in rock crevices or on the ground.