Midge:.And
you thought your hard drive was fast at 93 to 130 revolutions.per
second.or
your vehicle's crankshaft at 83 to 116 rps! The Midge, a small insect,
beats its wings some 1,045 times a second. They swarm
in early spring and in late autumn.
-Swan:.Got
a strong arm? The swan can break it. If it feels threatened, it uses its
wing to defend itself. Look out!
Swans may live up to 35 years
and pair for life. The largest of the swans is the Trumpeter swan, which
breeds from Alaska to the Rocky Mountain states.
Ducks differ from geese and
swans of the same family by their shorter necks and legs and other anatomical
differences. Ducks inhabit all continents except Antarctica and most of
the world's islands. The legs of most ducks are placed far apart and toward
the rear, making them awkward walkers but efficient swimmers. The underplumage,
or down, which is buoyant and insulating, is kept water resistant by frequent
preening with oil from a gland, called the uropygial or preen gland, at
the base of the tail feathers.
Comprised with
Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 99. © 1993-1998 Microsoft
Corporation. All rights reserved.
Arctic Tern:.This
little guy travels! Like, from northern Europe to the Antartic annually. The
Arctic tern has the most remarkable migration pattern known for any animal.
Each year the Arctic tern migrates from nesting grounds in the Arctic and
heads south to the Antarctic and back, a roundtrip journey of nearly 25,000
miles. Nesting occurs in the autumn on Arctic beaches or in areas of tundra..Comprised
with Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 99. © 1993-1998 Microsoft
Corporation. All rights reserved.