The Beauty of God's Creation in Birds
Flight dynamics are very complicated-but many birds fly. Yet, some birds can swim rather than fly (Penguins). Some walk better than fly (Ostrich, Roadrunner, Moa from New Zealand). All have a similar body structure form and are thus grouped together. Variation can be profoundly diverse and yet remain within a group. This diversity has not been shown to support or demonstrate evolution. No bird type shows "transition" form(s) into or from other life forms. See comments on Archaeopteryx in creation /evolution section. (Pictures by JGL)
Woodpecker-Expanded View
This particular woodpecker is found throughout the US but has regional variations in its feather patterns. This one was seen in New Mexico and has reddish under wings. It appears to be a male as it has a coloration under it's beak The female would not have such a coloration.-JGL
"Ants and other insects, nuts, fruit and seeds make up the northern flicker's diet. Its predators include raccoons, feral cats, and hawks. The northern flicker reaches sexual maturity at one year. Its mating season lasts from February through July. Nests are excavated in dead trees or dead portions of living trees, generally 6 to 20 feet (1.8 to 6 m) above the ground, but as high as 100 feet (30 m). The nest's entrance is about 2.75 inches (7 cm) in diameter. Females usually lay five to eight eggs, which hatch after 11 to 16 days. Young leave the nest about four weeks after hatching. Under ideal conditions, two broods may be raised in one season. Northern flickers live up to 12 years."
From: tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/northernflicker/
"Ants and other insects, nuts, fruit and seeds make up the northern flicker's diet. Its predators include raccoons, feral cats, and hawks. The northern flicker reaches sexual maturity at one year. Its mating season lasts from February through July. Nests are excavated in dead trees or dead portions of living trees, generally 6 to 20 feet (1.8 to 6 m) above the ground, but as high as 100 feet (30 m). The nest's entrance is about 2.75 inches (7 cm) in diameter. Females usually lay five to eight eggs, which hatch after 11 to 16 days. Young leave the nest about four weeks after hatching. Under ideal conditions, two broods may be raised in one season. Northern flickers live up to 12 years."
From: tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/northernflicker/
Hummingbirds
Even in the midst of the beauty of their design hummingbirds reflect the Fall as they combat with each other.
"Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and constituting the biological family Trochilidae. They are the smallest of birds, most species measuring 7.5–13 cm (3–5 in) in length...known as hummingbirds because of the humming sound created by their beating wings...12 beats per second in the largest species, to in excess of 80 in some of the smallest...have the highest mass-specific metabolic rate of any homeothermic animal...exhibit sexual size dimorphism ... increased body heat that requires specialized mechanisms of thermoregulation for heat dissipation...The dynamic range of metabolic rates in hummingbirds requires a parallel dynamic range in kidney function...turbulent airflow conditions created experimentally in a wind tunnel, hummingbirds exhibit stable head positions and orientation when they hover at a feeder...While hovering, the visual system of a hummingbird is able to separate apparent motion caused by the movement of the hummingbird itself from motions caused by external sources, such as an approaching predator...hummingbird songs originate from at least seven specialized nuclei in the forebrain…the birds enter a hibernatory, deep-sleep state (known as torpor) to prevent energy reserves from falling to a critical level. During nighttime torpor, body temperature falls from 40 to 18 °C, with heart and breathing rates both slowed dramatically (heart rate to roughly 50 to 180 beats per minute from its daytime rate of higher than 1000)...Hummingbirds have long lifespans for organisms with such rapid metabolisms...North American species, the average lifespan is probably 3 to 5 years…, male hummingbirds do not take part in nesting... Two white eggs are laid, which despite being the smallest of all bird eggs, are in fact large relative to the adult hummingbird's size. Incubation lasts 14 to 23 days, depending on the species, ambient temperature, and female attentiveness to the nest. The mother feeds her nestlings on small arthropods and nectar by inserting her bill into the open mouth of a nestling, and then regurgitating the food into its crop. Newborn hummingbirds stay in the nest for 18-22 days..."
From Wikipedia
P.S. Unwisely, there is much assumed evolutionary terminology in this particular Wikipedia article. All of the observed structural variations could be place within a design framework with no mention of evolutionary philosophy.
From Wikipedia
P.S. Unwisely, there is much assumed evolutionary terminology in this particular Wikipedia article. All of the observed structural variations could be place within a design framework with no mention of evolutionary philosophy.