Animals of the Air

Gliders  ANIMALS OF THE AIR

They are mammals.
They are also marsupials. Most female masupials carry their tiny babies in a
pouch where they drink their mother's milk.

They are a type of possum.

There are lots of different gliders. Some are so small they would fit in your hand.

Others are about the same size as a cat.

Gliders have a special flap of skin connected to their wrists and ankles.
When their legs are spread, this skin acts like wings so they can glide from tree to tree. They are nocturnal animals. They rest during the day but are busy at night looking for food.
They eat the sweet nectar in flowers. Some also eat the sugary sap that's just under the bark of certain trees.
They live in groups and recognise members of their group by their group smell. Trees provide food and shelter for gliders.
Fruit bats
Sometimes fruit bats are called flying foxes because  of their little fox-like faces.   There are lots of different flying foxes.  Some are so tiny they would fit into your hand.  Others can be about as big as a cat   They have five toes with long claws on each foot.  The long claws allow them to hang from trees.  Their long arms have special skin between their fingers.  This skin creates wings that allow bats to fly. Bats are the only mammals that can fly.  They live in big groups. These groups are called camps  or some people call them colonies.  They hang upside down most of the time but they straighten up to wee and poo by hanging by their thumbs.  At sunset they fly off to look for food. Food for fruit bats is fruit and flowers. They prefer our native plants, but if there aren't enough of those, they'll eat other flowers and fruit.  As they eat they spread the plant's seeds and pollen. This helps to create more healthy plants. Baby fruit bats drink milk from their mother's nipples. The nipples are in mum’s armpits. Mums spend a lot of time teaching their young. Baby bats are about 2 months old when they can fly on their own. PARROTS   . Parrots are birds. There are lots of different parrots. They all have short sharp hooked beaks.  They live in flocks because many eyes help to find food and there's always someone who can look out for danger. Most parrots stay with the same partner all their lives so it's very sad if one is killed or dies. Parrots love chattering to each other. They make lots of different sounds and the sounds mean different things. Most parrots need tree hollows to breed in. After the female lays the eggs in the nest both parents usually take turns keeping the eggs warm. The chicks are naked and blind when they hatch. The parents may then take turns finding food and keeping the tiny helpless chicks warm. As the chicks get bigger they need more food and the parents may both go off to search for food. This is when the chicks could be in danger from snakes and goannas. Food for parrots is generally seeds and grubs. The parents store food in a sort of sack in the throat. it's called the crop. When their crops are full the .parents return to feed their chicks When they are older some parrots put their young in a creche with other young parrots. They learn more about being a parrot.       PELICANS They are Australia's largest flying bird. Adult pelicans have a bright yellow ring around each eye. Under their long bills they have a saggy throat pouch It's used for collecting food. When it's very hot pelicans flutter their throat pouches to keep cool. They like to live in large groups. They work together to get a meal of fish or tadpoles. They drive their dinner into shallower water… …and then all thrust their bills underwater at the same time to scoop up their meal. In the breeding season the parents build a shallow nest on the ground. The female usually lays 2 white eggs and she and her partner take turns keeping the eggs warm. A month later the chicks hatch. They are naked and pink and their eyes are open.   They rely on their parents to bring them food.  Food is partly digested fish.  At 3 weeks the chicks can walk. When they are 3 months old they can fly. In a year they will be as big as their parents and able to fly as beautifully as they do. Wedge-tailed eagles   They are birds. The strong hooked beak has a razor sharp edge. On their feet they have sharp claws or talons that are very useful for killing and carrying food. They spend a lot of their day in the air flying. They can soar so high that we can't see them from the ground. They have very good hearing and excellent eyesight. They can spot a meal from way up in the sky. They are carnivores. That means they like to eat meat. Rabbit is their favourite food but they also like lizards, birds and the meat of already dead animals. They often share their food with other wedge tailed eagles. When they are full, they carry bits of food away and hide them for later. They might hide the food between rocks or in trees.   They use the same breeding and nesting grounds year after year. They like to make their nests high up, in trees or on rocky outcrops or cliffs. Some wedge tailed eagles stay with the same partner all their lives. Females usually lay 1 or 2 eggs. They are round, creamy white and blotched with brown. Six weeks later tiny eagles covered in soft down hatch. Often only one chick survives. The parents bring it bits of meat to eat. The chick stays with its parents for about 6 months learning how to fly and hunt. It then heads off to find its own territory. Butterflies They are insects.  There are thousands of different butterflies. They have huge eyes so they see very well. Between the eyes they have antennae. They use their antennae to smell. A butterfly's main food is nectar. The mouth is a long tube under the head. It's called a proboscis. It's used for sucking. It's a bit like a drinking straw. When not feeding the proboscis is curled up under its chin.  There are special hairs on a butterfly's feet to taste through. Wow! Imagine being able to taste through your feet! Butterfly wings are covered with tiny scales that overlap. The scales give the wings their colour and pattern. Butterflies can't fly if it's too cold. When the air is very cool they have to warm up their flight muscles either by sunning their bodies or shivering their wings.  Once they have made themselves warm enough, they can fly    e .