DVD BBC Life of Birds Disc 1: The Insatiable Appetite (2000)

BBC Life of Birds Disc 1: The Insatiable Appetite (2000)

Naturalist Sir David Attenborough presents a ten part study of "the life of birds," beginning with their origins and evolution and covering their life histories and abilities to adapt to nearly every environment. As is usual with Mr. Attenborough's productions, camera work is ground-breaking, and every continent is visited.

Birds have an amazing range of bill shapes and sizes, allowing birds to hammer grubs from tree trunks, search out the tiniest seeds, tear meat and sip nectar. And if they can't reach what they're seeking, some of them use tools to help get a meal.

Peter's DVD rating: 4.5 stars

1:30 Jays feed on acorns 2:25 Goldfinch feed on teasel seeds 2:40 Blue Tit cracks small seeds
2:50 Greenfinch eats rose hips 3:10 Hawfinch eats cherry stone: cracks shell, then removes husk 3:55 Red Crossbill opens green pine cones, swallow clay to absorb resin (California)
6:12 Eurasian Jay competes with Squirrels for acorns, bury them. 7:35 Acorn Woodpecker stores acorns in tree - constant maintenance (north America) 10:20 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drills holes and sips sap
12:10 Yellow-rumped Warbler drink from Sapsucker wells on Aspen 12:40 Sapsucker wells on Birches, Northern Orile and Hummingbird drink from these 13:45 Insect drinks tree sap, hummer and warblers drinks from honeydew (Mexico)
16:00 Cows chew on leaves 16:20 Barnacle Geese feed on grass and poop undigested parts 17:35 Mouse Bird feed on Acacia leaves, digest in sunlight (South Africa)
18:30 Hoatzin bacteria in 2nd stomach ferment leaves (South America) 19:15 Plants attract birds with nectar 19:30 Rainbow Lorikeet has brushy tongue to lap nectar (Australia)
21:00 Orange-breasted Sunbird pollinates Heather plant (South Africa) 21:50 Lion's-Claw Flower pollinated by Golden-winged Sunbird (Mount Kenya) 23:10 Black Flower Piercer steals nectar from hole in trumpet of flower (South America)
24:20 Hummingbird drinks from hole made by Flower Piercer 24:50 Sword-billed Hummingbird pollinates long trumpet of Datura plant 25:30 Hummingbird tongue adapted for nectar feeding
26:10 Coral tree attracts many birds (Thailand) 27:30 Hornbills disperse seeds (Indonesia) 28:05 Waxwings disperse berries
28:30 Kokako disperse berries (New Zealand) 28:40 Quetzal dosperse avocado seeds (South America) 29:35 Jackabar Morpho Butterfly
30:15 Termites, ants eaten by Rufous Woodpecker, stiff tail feathers (southern India) 31:45 Nuthatch picks insects out of bark (Europe) 32:25 Greater Spotted Woodpecker chisel for grubs in bark, has harpoon at tip of tongue
33:40 Woodpecker finch uses cactus spine to dig grubs from trunk (Galapagos) 36:05 New Caledonian Crow uses stick to irritate huge grub from log 41:00 European Robin finds grubs rooted out by hogs and humans
42:20 Seychelles Magpie finds grubs kicked up by Giant Land Tortoise 43:45 Cattle Tyrant follows Capybara (South America) 45:35 Oxpeckers feed on ticks on Hippos; 2 toes forward and 2 back for clinging
46:40 Oxpeckers eat earwax and dandruff, and drink blood on Zebras and Giraffes (Impalas?) 49:10 Crane in tropical rainforest (Venezuela) 49:30 Toucanet disperses avocado seeds; Macaws eat the seeds
51:00 Hyacinth Macaw eats palm seeds 51:40 Parrots ingest clay to counteract poison in seeds

2:40 Blue Tit
2:50 Greenfinch
3:10 Hawfinch

3:55 Red Crossbill
6:12 Eurasian Jay
7:35 Acorn Woodpecker

10:20 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
18:30 Hoatzin
19:30 Rainbow Lorikeet

24:50 Sword-billed Hummingbird
28:30 Kokako

Index Jan 1, 2008 Peter Chen.

1:30	Jays feed on acorns	2:25	Goldfinch feed on teasel seeds	2:40	Blue Tit cracks small seeds
2:50	Greenfinch eats rose hips	3:10	Hawfinch eats cherry stone: cracks shell, then removes husk	3:55	Red Crossbill opens green pine cones, swallow clay to absorb resin (California)
6:12	Eurasian Jay competes with Squirrels for acorns, bury them.	7:35	Acorn Woodpecker stores acorns in tree - constant maintenance (north America)	10:20	Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drills holes and sips sap
12:10	Yellow-rumped Warbler drink from Sapsucker wells on Aspen	12:40	Sapsucker wells on Birches, Northern Orile and Hummingbird drink from these	13:45	Insect drinks tree sap, hummer and warblers drinks from honeydew (Mexico)
16:00	Cows chew on leaves	16:20	Barnacle Geese feed on grass and poop undigested parts	17:35	Mouse Bird feed on Acacia leaves, digest in sunlight (South Africa)
18:30	Hoatzin bacteria in 2nd stomach ferment leaves (South America)	19:15	Plants attract birds with nectar	19:30	Rainbow Lorikeet has brushy tongue to lap nectar (Australia)
21:00	Orange-breasted Sunbird pollinates Heather plant (South Africa)	21:50	Lion's-Claw Flower pollinated by Golden-winged Sunbird (Mount Kenya)	23:10	Black Flower Piercer steals nectar from hole in trumpet of flower (South America)
24:20	Hummingbird drinks from hole made by Flower Piercer	24:50	Sword-billed Hummingbird pollinates long trumpet of Datura plant	25:30	Hummingbird tongue adapted for nectar feeding
26:10	Coral tree attracts many birds (Thailand)	27:30	Hornbills disperse seeds (Indonesia)	28:05	Waxwings disperse berries
28:30	Kokako disperse berries (New Zealand)	28:40	Quetzal dosperse avocado seeds (South America)	29:35	Jackabar Morpho Butterfly
30:15	Termites, ants eaten by Rufous Woodpecker, stiff tail feathers (southern India)	31:45	Nuthatch picks insects out of bark (Europe)	32:25	Greater Spotted Woodpecker chisel for grubs in bark, has harpoon at tip of tongue
33:40	Woodpecker finch uses cactus spine to dig grubs from trunk (Galapagos)	36:05	New Caledonian Crow uses stick to irritate huge grub from log	41:00	European Robin finds grubs rooted out by hogs and humans
42:20	Seychelles Magpie finds grubs kicked up by Giant Land Tortoise	43:45	Cattle Tyrant follows Capybara (South America)	45:35	Oxpeckers feed on ticks on Hippos; 2 toes forward and 2 back for clinging
46:40	Oxpeckers eat earwax and dandruff, and drink blood on Zebras and Giraffes (Impalas?)	49:10	Crane in tropical rainforest (Venezuela)	49:30	Toucanet disperses avocado seeds; Macaws eat the seeds
51:00	Hyacinth Macaw eats palm seeds	51:40	Parrots ingest clay to counteract poison in seeds

2:40 Blue Tit	2:50 Greenfinch	3:10 Hawfinch
3:55 Red Crossbill	6:12 Eurasian Jay	7:35 Acorn Woodpecker
10:20 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	18:30 Hoatzin	19:30 Rainbow Lorikeet
24:50 Sword-billed Hummingbird	28:30 Kokako