All language subtitles for Earth.Odyssey.With.Dylan.Dreyer.S05E04.1080p.WEB.h264-DiRT_track3_[eng]

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NARRATOR: WHEN YOU SEE THIS
SYMBOL, YOU KNOW YOU'RE

WATCHING TELEVISION THAT IS
EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: HI, EVERYONE, I'M DYLAN
DREYER.

GET READY FOR AN ADVENTURE
ACROSS THE WILDEST REGIONS OF

THE PLANET.

THIS IS "EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'RE TAKING FLIGHT TO
SEE HOW SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST

UNIQUE FEATHERED FLEDGLINGS
THRIVE IN THE WILD.

WE'LL DISCOVER A BIRD SPECIES
THAT DOESN'T FLOCK.

THEY SWARM BY THE THOUSANDS.

THEN IT'S OFF TO SOUTH AFRICA,
WHERE ONE FASHIONABLE FLYER

COMPLETELY CHANGES THEIR OUTFIT
TO MATCH THE SEASON.

PLUS, WE'LL CATCH A COUPLE OF
COLORFUL CHARACTERS DIGGING

AROUND FOR THE PERFECT NEST.

BUT FIRST, WE HEAD TO THE
AFRICAN SAVANNAH TO SEE A BIRD

WHO USES ITS SPEED ON THE
GROUND, NOT THE AIR, TO ESCAPE

PREDATORS IN PURSUIT.

ALL OF THIS COMING UP ON TODAY'S
"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: ADAPTABLE, CLEVER, AND
ENDURING, BIRDS ARE SOME OF THE

MOST FASCINATING CREATURES ON
THE PLANET.

WITH MORE THAN 10,000 SPECIES IN
EXISTENCE, EACH HAS THEIR OWN

UNIQUE METHOD OF SURVIVAL THAT
SETS THEM APART.

FOR SOME, THAT MEANS FLYING
THOUSANDS OF MILES FOR FOOD AND

BREEDING GROUNDS, WHILE FOR
OTHERS,

IT MEANS NOT FLYING AT ALL.

AND IN THE AFRICAN PLAINS, ONE
SPECIES OF BIRD USES THEIR

SKILLS ON THE GROUND TO THRIVE
IN A POTENTIALLY HOSTILE

ATMOSPHERE.

THIS IS A TRUE ICON OF AFRICAN
BIRD LIFE.

IT HAS A BEAK...

...WINGS, FEATHERS, AND IT LAYS
EGGS.

THIS MEANS THAT THE OSTRICH IS
WITHOUT QUESTION A BIRD.

BUT APART FROM THAT, IT DOESN'T
HAVE MUCH IN COMMON WITH THE

OTHER APPROXIMATELY 2,600
SPECIES OF BIRDS IDENTIFIED IN

THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.

THE WORLD'S OLDEST AND LARGEST
BIRD, THE OSTRICH CAN WEIGH MORE

THAN 200 POUNDS.

IT'S ESTIMATED TO BE SEVEN TIMES
TOO HEAVY TO BE ABLE TO FLY.

IT WOULD NEED 60 POUNDS OF
MUSCLES TO WORK ITS WINGS.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE
WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH ROOM ON ITS

SKELETON FOR THE FLIGHT MUSCLES.

IT DOESN'T HAVE THE BONY RIDGE
ON THE STERNUM THAT

OTHER BIRDS HAVE.

AND ANYWAY, THE OSTRICH WOULD
HAVE A PROBLEM

WITH ITS FEATHERS.

THE FEATHERS HAVE THIS FLUFFY
LOOK BECAUSE OF THE FILAMENTS

THEY'RE MADE OF.

THE VEINS, OR BARBS, ARE ALL
SEPARATE.

THEY AREN'T ATTACHED TO EACH
OTHER, LIKE IN OTHER BIRDS, BY

TINY BARBED HOOKS BECAUSE THE
OSTRICH DOESN'T HAVE ANY.

AS A RESULT, THE FEATHERS ARE
NOT RIGID.

THEY CAN'T GIVE THE AIR ANY
SUPPORT.

BUT THEIR FEATHERS DO OFFER A
DIFFERENT ADVANTAGE.

THEIR PLUMAGE IS A WONDERFUL
INSULATOR.

IT ALLOWS THE OSTRICH TO LIVE IN
DRY REGIONS, WHERE IN THEORY,

LIONS AND CHEETAHS, THE BIRD'S
MAIN PREDATORS, ARE NOT FOUND IN

LARGE NUMBERS.

WHEN IT DRINKS, THE OSTRICH
SHOWS ITSELF TO BE A BIRD LIKE

ANY OTHER.

LIKE ALL BIRDS, IT USES ITS BEAK
AS A SCOOP.

THE OSTRICH DRINKS ONLY A LITTLE
WITH EACH BEAKFUL.

TO QUENCH ITS THIRST, IT HAS TO
KEEP AT IT.

THIS DOES HAVE AN ADVANTAGE.

THE BIRD HAS TIME TO KEEP AN EYE
ON ITS SURROUNDINGS.

THERE IS ONE BIRD, THOUGH, THAT
DRINKS DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHERS.

THAT'S THE KORI BUSTARD.

IT RIVALS THE EUROPEAN BUSTARD
FOR THE TITLE OF

LARGEST FLYING BIRD.

SINKING DOWN ON THE LOWER PART
OF THE LEGS, THEY SWALLOW WATER

IN LONG GULPS.

IT'S A UNIQUE WAY FOR A BIRD TO
DRINK.

BUSTARDS ARE SOLITARY, OR LIVE
WITH ONE OR TWO OTHER

INDIVIDUALS.

HERE ARE TWO MALES, TWO LARGE
BIRDS MORE THAN THREE FEET TALL.

THEY WEIGH ABOUT 35 POUNDS.

THE FEMALES WEIGH HALF THAT.

THEY HAVE THE SAME PLUMAGE, ALL
IN SHADES OF GRAY AND BEIGE THAT

BLENDS PERFECTLY WITH ROCKS,
DRIED GRASSES, AND DEAD WOOD.

AND CAMOUFLAGE IS VITAL TO A
BIRD THAT RARELY FLIES AND

SPENDS MOST OF ITS LIFE ON THE
GROUND, UNABLE TO FLY AWAY

FROM DANGER.

COMING UP, THIS FLOCK OF BIRDS
PROVES THERE'S MORE

POWER IN NUMBERS.

THEN, IN SOUTH AFRICA, SEE WHAT
IT REALLY MEANS TO SHAKE YOUR

TAILFEATHERS.

AND ALONG THE RIVERBANKS,
NESTING MEANS GETTING INTO THE

TEAM SPIRIT.

ALL THIS AND MORE WHEN "EARTH
ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE
MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: FOR BIRDS AROUND THE
WORLD, FINDING WATER IS

PARAMOUNT TO SURVIVAL,
ESPECIALLY DURING THE DRY SEASON

IN AFRICA.

THIS POND IS A GODSEND,
ATTRACTING A FEW MAMMALS AND ALL

SORTS OF BIRDS.

THESE GREY LOERIES ARE BEING
WATCHFUL.

THEY TAKE TURNS DRINKING.

THERE'S ALWAYS ONE ON THE
LOOKOUT.

THE CAPE TURTLE DOVES KNOW ALL
ABOUT IT.

THERE'S ALWAYS A JACKAL WAITING
FOR THEM AT THE WATER HOLE.

SO, THEY'VE ADOPTED A VERY
SIMPLE STRATEGY.

THEY COME TO DRINK IN GROUPS,
DISPERSING THEMSELVES AROUND THE

WATER HOLE, THUS DISCOURAGING
THEIR PREDATOR BY DISTRACTING

ITS ATTENTION.

LIKE THESE NAMAQUA SANDGROUSE,
MANY BIRDS LIVE IN GROUPS AND

SYNCHRONIZE THEIR ACTIVITIES.

THE NUMBER STATISTICALLY REDUCES
THE RISK FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TO

FALL VICTIM TO A PREDATOR.

ONE SPECIES HAS CARRIED THIS
LOGIC TO ITS EXTREME,

THE QUELEA.

THIS CLOUD IS MADE UP OF MORE
THAN 100,000 BIRDS.

THEY MOVE IN AN UNPREDICTABLE
WAY LOOKING FOR FOOD.

QUELEAS LIVE ON SEEDS, AND IN
DRY REGIONS LIKE THIS ONE,

FINDING THEIR FOOD IS NOT EASY.

WHEN THEY DO FIND SOME, THEY FLY
IN, IN WAVES, READY FOR A FEAST.

SO THAT ALL THE BIRDS GET THEIR
FAIR SHARE OF THE FOOD, THE

MAKEUP OF THE CLOUDS CHANGES FOR
EACH FLIGHT.

BIRDS AT THE TAIL END GO TO THE
FRONT, SO THIS TIME, THEY'LL BE

THE FIRST TO LAND.

THE SYNCHRONIZATION OF BIRDS
FLYING IN TIGHT FORMATION IS

ASTOUNDING.

IN FACT, EACH BIRD HAS PERFECT
MASTERY OF ITS IMMEDIATE SPACE

AND REACTS WITHIN FRACTIONS OF A
SECOND TO ANY MOVE OF ITS

NEIGHBOR.

INDIVIDUALLY, THE QUELEA IS JUST
A DULL-COLORED LITTLE BIRD, BUT

TOGETHER, QUELEAS PROVIDE ONE OF
THE MOST FASCINATING SIGHTS

IN THE BIRD WORLD.

WHEN WE COME BACK, A DYNAMIC
DOVE THAT CHANGES ITS COLORS

WITH THE SEASON.

THEN, A RELAY TEAM THAT HAS TO
BE RELIANT ON THEIR WINGS.

THIS AND MUCH MORE WHEN WE
RETURN TO "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE
MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: EVEN IN THE ANIMAL
KINGDOM, APPEARANCES AREN'T

EVERYTHING.

HOWEVER, APPEARANCES CAN PLAY A
PIVOTAL ROLE FOR SOME SPECIES

WHEN IT COMES TIME TO FIND A
PARTNER.

FOR BIRDS, THIS MEANS VIBRANT
DISPLAYS OF THEIR FEATHERS OR

BEAKS, WHILE FOR OTHERS, MORE OF
A DANCE ROUTINE.

BUT ONE SPECIES TAKES THEIR
APPEARANCE TO THE EXTREME,

CHANGING THEIR ENTIRE LOOK TO
ATTRACT THE RIGHT MATE.

THIS ODD AVIAN IS A VERITABLE
ONE-BIRD SHOW UNTO ITSELF.

THE LONG-TAILED WIDOW.

ITS BEAUTIFUL LONG TRAIN THAT
DRAGS BEHIND IT LOOKS A LITTLE

LIKE A VEIL,

SO IT'S ALSO CALLED THE BLACK
WIDOW.

THE LONG-TAILED WIDOW DOESN'T
ALWAYS HAVE THIS PLUMAGE.

USUALLY, IT'S A SIMPLE LITTLE
BIRD LESS NOTICEABLE THAN THE

HIGH GRASS IT STANDS ON.

IT LOOKS MORE LIKE A SORT OF
BEIGE SPARROW.

BUT DURING THE MATING SEASON,
THE MALE MOLTS IN ONE OF THE

MOST INCREDIBLE WAYS IMAGINABLE.

IT BECOMES COMPLETELY BLACK, BUT
FOR RED AND WHITE EPAULETS ON

ITS WINGS, AND IT GROWS LONG
TAILFEATHERS.

DECKED IN SUCH FINERY, THE BIRD
FLIES OVER ITS TERRITORY WITH A

SINGLE OBJECTIVE, SEDUCING
FEMALES.

THE LONG-TAILED WIDOW IS
POLYGAMOUS.

IT CAN HAVE UP TO FOUR MATES WHO
ARE ESPECIALLY ATTRACTED TO

MALES WITH LONG TAILFEATHERS.

BUT THE LONGER THE FEATHERS, THE
MORE DIFFICULT AND TIRING IT IS

TO FLY.

SO, ANY BIRD STRONG ENOUGH TO
OVERCOME THIS SEASONAL HINDRANCE

IS BOUND TO BE A GOOD POTENTIAL
PARTNER.

IN THE BIRD WORLD, AS SOON AS
THE MATING SEASON IS OVER, THE

MALE RETURNS TO HIS DULLER
PLUMAGE, HIS EVERYDAY COLORS.

MOLTING IS UNDERWAY FOR THE
SOUTHERN RED BISHOPS.

THEY WILL LOSE THEIR SCARLET
LIVERY TO TAKE ON THE BEIGE

PLUMAGE OF THE FEMALES.

BEIGE IS THE STANDARD COLOR FOR
ANIMALS IN THE SAVANNAH,

MORE OR LESS DULL, MORE OR LESS
DARK.

IT'S THE SHADE OF MOST
CREATURES' COATS.

PLUMAGES FOR MOST ANIMALS ARE
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT MILD AND

DISCREET, BUT IN THE BIRD WORLD,
WE CAN SEE AN INCREDIBLE ARRAY

OF COLORS THAT ARE FOREIGN TO
THE WORLD OF MAMMALS.

COMING UP, A COOING COUPLE THAT
HAS TO WORK AS A TEAM IN THE

RACE TO BUILD A PERFECT NEST,
NEXT ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE
MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC,

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IN NATURE, THERE ARE
VERY FEW ANIMALS THAT

HAVE AS VARIED COLOR SCHEMES AS
BIRDS.

SOME ARE COMPLETELY WHITE, LIKE
THESE CATTLE EGRETS.

WHILE OTHERS HAVE BRIGHT COLORS,
LIKE THE RED BREAST OF THE

GROUND HORNBILL THAT CONTRASTS
WITH THE DEEP BLACK OF

ITS PLUMAGE.

TO BEGIN WITH, ALL FEATHERS ARE
WHITE, BUT OVER TIME, A COATING

OF MELANIN GIVES BIRDS LIKE THE
LESSER GRAY SHRIKE...

...THE FORKED DRONGO...

...AND THE STARLING THEIR
PATENTED BLACK PIGMENT.

THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE PLUMAGE
OF SADDLE-BILLED STORKS.

THIS LARGE BIRD MEASURES ALMOST
FIVE FEET TALL, AND THE MALE AND

FEMALE ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL.

BUT TWO DETAILS SHOW THAT THIS
IS A MALE.

FIRST, ITS EYE IS BLACK, WHEREAS
IN THE FEMALE,

THE EYE IS YELLOW.

ALSO, THE TWO LITTLE SHREDS OF
YELLOW SKIN HANGING FROM THE

BASE OF HIS BEAK INDICATE HE IS
IN THE REPRODUCTIVE PERIOD.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST PIGMENTS THAT
GIVE BIRDS THEIR

BEAUTIFUL COLORS.

SOMETIMES IT CAN BE A TRICK OF
THE LIGHT.

WITH BEE-EATERS, IT'S OFTEN A
COMBINATION OF BOTH.

LIKE MANY BIRDS, WHEN THEY ARE
YOUNG, SOUTHERN CARMINE

BEE-EATERS HAVE DULLER PLUMAGE.

IT'S ONLY THE ADULTS THAT HAVE
THIS LONG TAIL AND

VIBRANT COLORS.

BEE-EATERS HAVE DIFFERENT
PLUMAGES ACCORDING TO

THE SPECIES.

THE WHITE-FRONTED BEE-EATER HAS
A GREEN BACK, YELLOW BELLY, AND

A RED THROAT...

...WHEREAS THE EUROPEAN
BEE-EATER, WHICH WINTERS IN

AFRICA, HAS A BLUE BELLY.

ITS THROAT IS YELLOW AND ITS
BACK GOLDEN.

WHILE THEY MAY LOOK DIFFERENT,
ALL BEE-EATERS HAVE THE SAME

HUNTING TECHNIQUE.

THEY LAND ON A BRANCH TO OBSERVE
INSECTS PASSING AROUND THEM,

AND WHEN THEY HAVE LOCATED PREY,
THEY LAUNCH AN ATTACK,

TRYING TO CATCH THE INSECTS ON
THE WING.

IF THERE ARE A LOT OF BEETLES IN
ONE PLACE, IT SUGGESTS IT'S A

GOOD HUNTING GROUND.

ONE BIRD MAKES SEVERAL HUNDRED
FLIGHTS A DAY.

IT'S THOUGHT THAT ONLY ABOUT ONE
IN THREE IS PRODUCTIVE.

BEES AND WASPS MAKE UP MOST OF
THE CATCH.

ONCE BACK ON ITS PERCH, THIS
LITTLE BEE-EATER SHAKES THE

INSECT VIGOROUSLY TO GET RID OF
ITS VENOM.

THIS SPECIES IS NOT ONLY THE
SMALLEST OF ALL THE BEE-EATERS,

IT'S ALSO THE ONLY ONE TO NEST
ALONE.

OTHER BEE-EATERS NEST IN
COLONIES, LIKE THIS, THE

WHITE-FRONTED BEE-EATER.

WHEN THEY NEST TOGETHER, THEY
PREFER TO CHOOSE RIVERBEDS...

...OR MORE PRECISELY, SLOPING
RIVERBANKS.

THE BIRDS ARE HARD AT WORK,
BUILDING THIS COLONY THAT WILL

NUMBER ABOUT 20 NESTS.

ONCE THEY'VE CHOSEN THE PERFECT
SPOT, BEE-EATERS DIG WITH THEIR

BEAKS, SUPPORTING THEMSELVES ON
THEIR WINGS WHILE PUSHING THE

RUBBLE OUT WITH THEIR FEET.

BOTH MALES AND FEMALES WILL TAKE
PART IN BUILDING THE NEST, BUT

AS THE OPENING IS NARROW, THEY
TAKE TURNS, WORKING IN RELAYS,

WHICH EXPLAINS THIS CONSTANT
ACTIVITY.

IN ORDER TO PREVENT FLOODING
FROM RAINWATER, THE HOLES ARE

DUG SLOPING GENTLY UPWARDS.

AS AN EXTRA PRECAUTION, THE
CHAMBER WHERE THE EGGS WILL BE

LAID IS A FEW FEET AWAY FROM THE
TUNNEL'S ENTRANCE.

THIS WILL KEEP THE EGGS AND
CHICKS OUT OF THE REACH OF

BABOONS' HANDS AND STORKS'
BEAKS, ENSURING EVERY MEMBER OF

THE FLOCK CAN THRIVE IN THE
UNPREDICTABLE WILD.

ON EVERY CONTINENT, BIRDS OFFER
US A VIVID DISPLAY OF

LIFE AND COLOR.

THE BEAUTY AND VIBRANCE OF THEIR
FEATHERS AND FEATURES PLAY AN

INTEGRAL ROLE IN HOW THEY HUNT,
MATE, AND LIVE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US ON TODAY'S
ADVENTURE.

I HOPE TO SEE YOU FOR THE NEXT
ONE HERE ON

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]