D4K Top 10 Questions

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Bird Migration (October 2009)

Thanks to Jay Carlisle, Research Director, Idaho Bird Observatory; and Vicky Runnoe, Conservation Education Supervisor, Idaho Department of Fish and Game for their answers

* What is the biggest bird?  Show answer

The Emu is probably the largest living bird. Emus are big in part because they don't fly. By not having wings, they can put on extra body weight. If they had to fly, they wouldn't be able to carry that weight. (From Kenton at Hayden Meadows Elementary School in Coeur d'Alene)  Hide

* How many birds migrate a year?  Show answer

Millions and millions of birds migrate every single year. It's hard to put a number on it. However, on each continent there are millions of birds migrating between the temperate and tropical zones every year. (From Grace in Mrs. Dransfield's class at Mary McPherson Elementary School in Meridian)  Hide

* How come some birds don't migrate?  Show answer

A lot of it depends on what they eat. If they eat insects and the insects die off during the winter months, they will need to migrate in order to eat. However, if they are a bird who eats foods that are around in the winter, like eating seeds for example, they won't have to migrate and will stay locally. (From Ben in Mrs. Dransfield's class at Mary McPherson Elementary School in Meridian)  Hide

* How do birds flap their wings so they don't get tired?  Show answer

Birds utilize oxygen very efficiently, allowing them to exercise (or flap their wings) more efficiently than we may be able to. Also, they store a lot of fat. Fat is their migratory fuel. This fuel allows them to keep going as if they had a battery. Some species can even fly for 72 hours continuously! However, scientists believe that there is evidence that birds really are tired when they land. Flapping a lot and being tired may go hand in hand. (From Jake in Mrs. Gris' class at Horizon Elementary School in Boise)  Hide

* Where do the birds from Idaho mostly go?  Show answer

It depends on the kind of bird. Our Mountain Bluebird migrates to the southern United States. The Osprey goes to South America. Central Mexico seems to be the area that hosts the highest number of Idaho species during the winter. (From Jenna in Mrs. Schweitzer's class at Riverside Elementary School in Boise)  Hide

* What birds are adapted to living in winter instead of going south?  Show answer

There are several birds that can live in winter weather conditions. For example, there are raptors, like the Red Tailed Hawk, that eat small mammals, and Bald Eagles that eat fish. These birds don't need to migrate as far. Black-capped Chickadees can switch their diet from eating more insects to eating more seeds and fruit, allowing them to stay here. Also Sparrows, the more common wintering birds in the Treasure Valley, feed on seeds through the winter. (From Elise in Mrs. Boyer's class at Mary Nelson Elementary School in Boise)  Hide

* Do birds carry diseases?  Show answer

Birds do carry diseases. Some areas have a higher prevalence of disease than others. In southwestern Idaho, we will see migrating birds carrying a virus called avian pox. This is not a fatal disease, but sometimes it can cause them to lose a toe or something like that. This is not a dangerous disease or really prevalent among the population, but there are other areas where a disease like that can be more dangerous to bird populations. (From Haven in Londeen's class at Christine Donnell Elementary School in Boise)  Hide

* Do owls migrate?  Show answer

There are some owl species that do migrate and some that don't. Northern and Flammulated Owls eat mainly insects, so they migrate to the southern United States and west central Mexico for the winter months. Saw Whet Owls rely on small mammals for food, so their distance of migration is much shorter (200 or 300 miles). The Great Horned Owl, another common resident here, eats from small mammals up to raccoons or skunks. They do not migrate at all and can eat year-round right here. (From Calen in Mrs. McCoy's class at Donnelly Elementary School in Donnelly)  Hide

* Why can't birds hibernate? Do they do anything like bears?  Show answer

They don't hibernate but there are some birds that will voluntarily lower their body temperature. For instance, Chickadees can do this at night where they can store up fat from the food they eat during the day. Then, they lower their body temperature at night so they don't have to keep their body as warm, using less energy. However they still have to shiver to keep some baseline level of warmth so their body organs won't fail. In the morning, they turn it back on, and in about half an hour their body warms back up again and is ready for flight. There is a bird that is related to the Night Hawk that will do this for longer periods. (From Leah in Mrs. Hunt's class at Cynthia Mann Elementary School in Boise)  Hide

* Why do birds travel as a group in a "V" formation?  Show answer

It has to do with saving energy. If birds can travel in a group like that and save energy while flying, they can travel further and more efficiently during their migration. So, the lead bird takes some of the brunt of the wind in the front and then they trade out over time. Those traveling in the back will eventually be up in the front, but while they are in the back, they can save energy by drafting off the lead birds. (More than 20 students from all over the state asked this question)  Hide

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Geology (September 2009)

Thanks to Scott Hughes, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Idaho State University; and Matt Kohn, Associate Professor of Geology, Boise State University for their answers

* How are rocks formed?  Show answer

As the planet heats up, it undergoes the process of differentiation. This is where it begins to partially melt and the core forms out of this material that sinks deeply. Then, the crust floats up to the surface. These very first rocks are igneous rocks. Once these rocks become subject to change, they become metamorphic. At this point, if there is a surface process that can alter them chemically, causing erosion, transport and deposition, they become sedimentary rocks. Rocks basically start from an igneous state and get transformed from there. (From Taylor in Mrs. Schweitzer's class at Riverside Elementary School in Boise)  Hide

* How are caves formed?  Show answer

Caves are normally formed by surface water that penetrates down into limestone or a material that's made of calcium carbonate. Normally, water that percolates into the earth is slightly acidic, similar to baking soda. If you add acid, it will dissolve away holes in the limestone leaving a cave. (From Zach at McDonald Elementary School in Moscow)  Hide

* How can you tell if you have real gold?  Show answer

Real gold is very soft and dense. It's easy to scratch. However, even though fool's gold is gold colored, it's actually iron sulfide and is much harder than gold. You can't deform fool's gold like you can real gold. (From Kirsten in Mrs. McCoy's class at Donnelly Elementary School in Donnelly)  Hide

* Why do crystals look so shiny and pretty?  Show answer

Crystals have underlying structures, so they tend to break in certain ways or to form faces. They look shiny because the faces reflect the light. When we look at a crystal, the reflection lets us see the underlying structure. (From Marissa in Mrs. Drainsfield's class at Mary McPherson's Elementary School in Meridian)  Hide

* What minerals are found in Idaho?  Show answer

There's a lot of volcanic rock that has minerals, white crystals and green crystals. Idaho is famous for having certain kinds of garnets. You can find star garnets near Moscow. (From Jayce in Mrs. Childers' class at Hayden Meadows Elementary School in Hayden)  Hide

* Is there any rhyme or reason to when volcanoes go off?  Show answer

It depends on how the magma comes into the volcano. If there is a lot that comes in at a particular time, it will erupt more frequently. In general, the way the magma comes in is quite chaotic, so there is no way of predicting a volcanic eruption way in advance. (From Jasmine in Mrs. Schweitzer's class at Riverside Elementary School in Boise)  Hide

* Can an earthquake break lands apart?  Show answer

An earthquake can break the surface of the earth, but if there is any spreading where the lands starts to pull apart, it is almost immediately followed by a collapse which sort of brings it back together. So, an earthquake does not open up with big cracks and swallow people up. Instead, an earthquake allows the surface to reconstruct itself changing the surface of the earth. (From Alexa in Mrs. Tanner's class at Hayden Meadows Elementary School in Hayden)  Hide

* How are diamonds formed?  Show answer

Diamonds are actually pieces of carbon. When carbon is put under high pressure and high temperatures (somewhere between 50-150 miles beneath the surface of the earth), it will form molecules that are so tight that the crystal structures become the hardest known to humans. These are diamonds, and they get to the surface by being erupted through a volcano. (From Ethan in Mrs. Boehne's class at McDonald Elementary School in Moscow)  Hide

* What's the most rare kind of rock found?  Show answer

The most rare rock found is a meteorite from Mars. (From Kate in Mrs. Hunt's class at Cynthia Mann Elementary School in Boise)  Hide

* How long does it take to make a valley more than a thousand feet deep?  Show answer

A valley that is a thousand feet deep could take between 10,000 to 500,000 years if the rock is very resistant to erosion. If the rock is very resistant and strong, and the forces are very slow, it could take thousands or even millions of years. But, if the rock is very loose, like sand, and the water is running fast, it might take only a few weeks to form. (From Annika in Coeur d'Alene)  Hide