Page 154 - Wonderful Creatures: Children! Have You Ever Thought ?

WONDERFUL CREATURES

THE WATER BIRD THAT CUTS

THROUGH THE WATER LIKE

SCISSORS

Most birds cannot fly if their wings come
into contact with water because water

causes their feathers to stick to each
other, which disables the bird by stopping

it moving its wings. However, although
aquatic birds dive into water all day, nothing

happens to them. You must be wondering
how and why, are you not?

There is a special oil on the wings
of water birds that prevents feat-

hers from sticking to each other
when wet. This is how these

birds can dive into water with
no trouble. However, the skim-

mer, a species of water bird, lacks this
oil. Therefore, unlike other water birds, it

cannot dive into water to hunt. How, then, will
it find its nourishment when it cannot enter

water?

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