Talk:Ratite
From Academic Kids
I have merged the page Struthioniformes here, since the two were talking about the same group, and ratite appears to be the common name. It may be that I made the move in the wrong direction, though, and somebody more familiar with birds should confirm which name is in wider use. Some of the content has been removed, but it was a survey of the particular species included here, and so is repeated on their pages. I am not sure where the moas fit into the suborders given here.
Changing article text below:
- Kiwi are notable for laying the largest eggs in relation to body-size of any bird.
To:
- Kiwi are notable for laying eggs that are very large in relation to their body size. A kiwi egg may equal 15 to 20 percent of the body mass of a female kiwi.
Reference: Kiwi Myths (http://www.kiwirecovery.org.nz/AboutTheBird/WeirdAndWonderful/KiwiMyths/Kiwimyths.htm)
- Myth 6: Kiwi lay the biggest egg in the world, in proportion to their body size
- Although the female kiwi undoubtedly has to cope with a monstrous egg that equals 15 - 20 per cent of her body mass, she is not the most heavily burdened female in the bird world. Small seabirds, such as storm petrels, have proportionately bigger eggs – up to 30 per cent of their weight – and they have to fly with it on board.
Tabor 23:19, 22 Apr 2005 (UTC)
