Bird Nerd

Apparently

I've always loved animals, but lately I've become completely obsessed with birds.

I don't really know how to explain it. I don't think I have a "type" either. My goosebumps usually decide for me. Sometimes it's a weird-looking animal. Sometimes it's a beautiful one. Sometimes it's something rare, prehistoric, or just completely ridiculous. Lately, though, my brain has decided birds are the most fascinating thing on the planet.

I mean... flamingos are pink. That alone earns them a permanent spot on my favorites list.

But then you've got parrots like Ruby at the Greensboro Science Center. She's gorgeous, loud enough to make the kids jump, and unbelievably smart. Every time we visit, I'm impressed all over again.

The ducks at my local park are what really pulled me in. Ducks were always cute, but I'd never actually spent time around them before. Now I get it. They're basically feathery dogs. They see you; they follow you around, and they politely (or not so politely) ask for snacks. Johnny Quack is still convinced corn is the only food worth eating, and honestly, I respect a bird who knows exactly what he wants.

Then there are the birds that look like they crawled straight out of the Jurassic period. Cassowaries obviously started that obsession, but they definitely aren't alone. Have you ever seen a shoebill? The way it clacks its beak sounds like a machine gun, and those impossibly long, skinny legs give me goosebumps every single time.

The more I learn, the more I respect all birds. Penguins bring the cuteness. Peacocks and flamingos bring the beauty. Parrots bring the brains. The giant birds are equal parts fascinating and nightmare fuel. Even chickens, turkeys, and owls start looking prehistoric once you really stop and look at them.

And don't even get me started on bird skeletons. Some of them look so much like dinosaurs that it's almost impossible not to see the connection. The fact that modern birds evolved from dinosaurs somehow makes me understand them even more. They've survived, adapted, and been around for an unbelievably long time. That's just... awesome.

So yeah. I'm a bird person now, I guess.
I'm just as surprised as you are.