Facts About Toucans

The Toucan

 Interesting Facts About Toucans:

1. In ornithology, it's genus is called Rhamphastos.
2. These birds are all natives of tropical America.
3. They are easily distinguished by their enormous bill.
4. Toucans are irregularly toothed along the margin of their mandibles.
5. All of these species live prefer to live in pairs.
6. Toucans love the shade of the forests.
7. They occasionally congregate in small parties with each other.
8. These birds do not approach human habitations when they have only lived in the wild.
9. They are generally covered with black feathers and the throat, breast and rump adorned in white, yellow and red.
10. Their bodies are short and thick. 
11. Their tails are rounded or even, varying in length among their species. 
12. They can turn their tail feathers up over their back when roosting.
13. Toucans may be easily tamed and live in confined spaces well, even in cold climates.

See Toucans:

• 10 Most Beautiful Toucans

Chickadee

 Chickadee
Hilda Conkling
(Written at the age of six)

The chickadee in the apple tree
Talks all the time very gently.
He makes me sleepy.
I rock away to the sea-lights.
Far off I hear him talking
The way smooth bright pebbles
Drop into water . . .
Chicka'dee-dee-dee . . .

A Singular Interposition

Cat to the rescue!

       A lady had a tame bird which she was in the habit of letting out of its cage every day. One morning as it was picking crumbs of bread off the carpet, her cat, who always before showed great kindness for the bird, seized it on a sudden, and jumped with it in her mouth upon a table. The lady was much alarmed for the fate of her favorite, but on turning about instantly discerned the cause. The door had been left open, and a strange cat had just come into the room! After turning it out, her own cat came down from her place of safety, and dropped the bird without having done it the smallest injury.

The Hiawatha Paper Cuts Restored

       Below are the Hiawatha paper cuts restored for those of you who are teaching Native American studies to your little ones, enjoy.

       The Song of Hiawatha is an 1855 epic poem in trochaic tetrameter by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow which features American Indian characters. Read more...

       Read the original poem by Longfellow here.

The wigwam of Nokomis.

Nokomis nursed Hiawatha.

Nokomis bound Hiawatha's cradle with the sinews of the reindeer.

Hush! the Naked Bear will hear thee!

The owls spoke their native language.

The birds hid their nests.

The birds sang to Hiawatha.

The reindeer, Hiawatha talked too.

I am Adjidaumo, the squirrel.

The warriors and the women all praised the hunter.
They called him Strong-Heart, Soan-ge-taha.
They called him Loon-Heart, Mahn-go-tay-see.

Hiawatha is running by the Big-Sea-Water.