Interesting Facts about Birds

The chicken is the closest living relative to the Tyrannosaurus

Rex.
Many birds kept as pets, including doves, parakeets, and lovebirds, enjoy living in pairs for
companionship.
The smallest bird egg belongs to the hummingbird and is the size of a pea. The largest bird egg,
from which the ostrich hatches, is the size of a cantaloupe.
A birds eye takes up about 50 percent of its head; our eyes take up about 5 percent of our head.
To be comparable to a birds eyes, our eyes would have to be the size of baseballs.
The penguin is the only bird that can swim, but not fly. It is also the only bird that walks
upright.
Owls turn their heads almost 360 (a complete circle) but they cannot move their eyes.
Chickens have over 200 distinct noises they make for communicating.
When it comes to birds, the males tend to have the more glamorous feather shape, coloration,
songs, and dances. Female birds choose their mate based on how attractive they find them!
It is estimated that one third of all bird owners turn on a radio for their pet when they leave the
house.
According to National Geographic, scientists have an answer for the age old dispute over
which came first, the chicken or the egg. Reptiles were laying eggs thousands of years
before chickens appeared. The first chicken came from an egg laid by a bird that was not
quite a chicken. Therefore, the egg came first.
The first bird domesticated by humans was the goose.
Kiwi birds are blind, so they hunt by smell.
Some breeds of chickens can lay colored eggs. The Ameraucana and Araucana can lay green or
blue eggs.

The common phrase "eat like a bird" should mean something quite different! Many birds eat
twice their weight in food each day. In fact, a bird requires more food in proportion to its
size than a baby or a cat.
A group of larks is called an exaltation, a group of chickens is called a peep, a group of geese is
called a gaggle, a group of ravens is called a murder, and a group of owls is called a
parliament.
Chickens that lay brown eggs have red ear lobes. There is a genetic link between the two.
Crows have the largest cerebral hemispheres (brains), relative to body size, of any avian
family.
Mockingbirds can imitate many sounds, from a squeaking door to a cat meowing.

Akapulko (scientific name: Cassia alata) - a shrub known to be a diuretic, sudorific and
purgative. The medicinal uses of akapulko are to treat fungal infection of the skin and for the
treatment of ringworms. English name: ringworm bush.
Ampalaya (scientific name: Momordica charantia) - a vegetable used to treat diabetes (diabetes
mellitus) it is now commercially produced in tablet form and tea bags. English name: bitter
melon and bitter gourd.
Atis (scientific name: Anona squamosa L.) - a small tree used as a medicinal herb. The leaves,
fruit and seeds are used in the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery and fainting. English name: Sugar
apple and Sweet sop.
Banaba (scientific name: Lagerstroemia speciosa) - a tree found throughout the Philippines. The
leaves, roots, fruit and flowers all have medicinal uses. It is used in the treatment of diabetes and
other ailments. It is a purgative and a diuretic.
Bawang (scientific name: Allium sativum) - a specie of the onion family. English name: Garlic.
It is used to reduce cholesterol in the blood and thus helps lower blood pressure.
Bayabas (scientific name: Psidium guajava) - more popularly known as guava, bayabas is a
small tree whose boiled leaves are used as an disinfectant to treat wounds. The decoction is also
used as a mouth wash to treat gum infection and tooth decay. The bark is also used in children
with chronic diarrhea.
Gumamela (scientific name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn) - called China rose or Hibiscus in the
West, it is a common ornamental plant in the Philippines. As a medicinal herb, it is used as an
expectorant for coughs, cold, sore throat, fever and bronchitis.
Lagundi (scientific name: Vitex negundo) - one of the better known of the medicinal plants in
the Philippines, lagundi (five-leaved chaste tree) is a shrub with many medicinal uses. It is used
for the relief and treatment of coughs, asthma, dyspepsia, worms, colic, rheumatism and boils.
The root is known to be an expectorant, tonic and febrifuge.
Luya (scientific name: Zingiber officinale) or Ginger. It is botanically not a root but a rhizome of
the monocotyledonous perennial plant. It has many uses as a medicinal herb with antifungal,
anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antiviral, diuretic and antiseptic properties.
Niyog-niyogan (scientific name: Quisqualis indica L.) - is a vine that is an effective in the
elimination of intestinal worms, particularly the Trichina and Ascaris by ingesting its matured
dried seeds. Chew (5 to 7 dried seeds for children or 8 to 10 seeds for adults) two hours after
eating. Repeat treatment after a week if necessary. Roasted leaves are also used for fever and

diarrhea while pounded leaves are used for skin diseases. English name: Chinese honey suckle.
Oregano (scientific name: Origanum vulgare) - a perennial herb with antioxidant and
antimicrobial properties. Commonly used for cooking in the West, it is used as a medicinal plant
in the Philippines. A decoction of oregano leaves is taken internally for the prevention of
degenerative arthritis, relief of cough, osteoarthritis, asthma and upset stomach.
Pansit-Pansitan (scientific name: Peperomia pellucida Linn.) - an herb used to treat arthritis,
gout, skin disorders, abdominal pains and kidney problems. It is applied to the skin as poultice or
as a decoction when taken internally.
Sabila (Aloe barbadensis miller liquid) - one of the most common medicinal plants in the
Philippines that can be found in many Filipino homes. It is a succulent plant used to treat burns,
cuts, eczema and other disorders. Aloe vera has antiviral, antifungal, antibiotic, antioxidant and
antiparasitic properties.
Sambong (scientific name: Blumea balsamifera) - a Philippine medicinal plant used to treat
kidney disorders, colds, fever, rheumatism, hypertension and other ailments. As a diuretic, it
helps in the excretion of urinary stones. A decoction of leaves is taken internally for treatment. It
can also be used as an edema. English name: Blumea Camphora.
Tsaang Gubat (scientific name: Ehretia microphylla Lam.) - a shrub prepared like tea, it is now
commercially available in tablets, capsules and tea bags. This medicinal herb is effective in
treating diarrhea, dysentery, gastroenteritis and other stomach ailments. It has high fluoride
concentration making it a good mouth wash for the prevention of tooth decay. English name:
Wild Tea.
Ulasimang Bato (scientific name: Peperomia pellucida) - an annual herb also known as "pansitpansitan". It is a medicinal herb that is effective in treating gout, arthritis and prevents uric acid
build up. A decoction of the plant is taken internally or the leaves and stem can be eaten fresh as
salad. To make a decoction, boil a cup of washed chopped leaves in 2 cups of water, simmer for
about 15 minutes, strain, let cool. Drink a cup 2 times a day after meals.
Yerba Buena (scientific name: Clinopodium douglasii) - a vine of the mint family, popularly
known as Peppermint. Its analgesic properties make it an ideal pain reliever to alleviate the
body's aches and pains. A decoction of clean leaves is taken internally or externally as a poultice
by pounding the leaves mixed with a little water then applied directly on the afflicted area.
Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) - Although not a medicinal plant, VCO is a product of the coconut
tree. VCO is one of the more popular alternative medicine widely used in the Philippines today.

It is taken internally for various aliments like diabetes to high blood pressure. Topically, VCO is
also applied to the skin and scalp to nourish and heal.