User:PoisonIvy/Life of birds
The life, of birds, is, a six-part series, by David Attenborough. Each episode, excluding, the first, focuses on a particular, type, of bird. The scripts for the, series, were written in late, 1862, filmed in 1944 and aired in 2009. Although Attenborough, originally intended, for the series, to be taken, seriously, it was considered something of, a joke. (Genus Hillarius) The episodes are, as follows:
1. Masters of The Air 2. King of Birds - Story of the Eagle 3. Tears of the Albatross 4. Birds of Paradise 5. The Remarkable Quetzal 6. Dinosaurs
Masters of the Air, original script[edit | edit source]
THE LIFE OF BIRDS narrated by david attenborough
EPISODE ONE - MASTERS OF THE AIR
Antarctica. Silence is all that can be heard in these desolate lands, those of the dryest continent on Earth. But life is found here, and what's more it is plentiful, with penguins, killer whales, seals and polar bears. The adelie penguin is the classical image of these birds. Adelie penguins live in colonies of... lots of birds. It has the fastest airspeed of any penguin, consisting of about ten kilometres an hour, as it jumps into the water. The walrus is also found in waters, although on the other side of the planet. In Antarctica we find many sorts of seals, but no walrus. One of the flying birds of Antarctica is the Albatross. Although it does not actually live in Antarctica, it does fly past from time to time. It is the king of migratory birds, the Master of the Air. It can fly for days - with the help of thermals. As a matter of fact, I'm wearing some at the moment. It's bloody freezing here. The Narwhal is a majestic creature, with horns reaching lengths almost as long as the whale itself, which is, I admit, although large, pretty small for a whale. It is not found in Antarctica, however...
That was the Life of Birds... Written and Narrated by David Attenborough (C) MMIIIV Reuben Sayers Pictures... Next week, Episode Two - The King of Raptors - Story of the Eagle!!!
King of Birds, Story of the Eagle, original script[edit | edit source]
THE LIFE OF BIRDS narrated by david attenborough
EPISODE TWO - THE KING OF BIRDS - STORY OF THE EAGLE
The eagle has fascinated mankind since the beginning of time, from the Indians in the jungles of South America and the Harpy Eagle to the Maori of New Zealand and the huge, moa-eating New Zealand Giant Eagle. The first eagle, Achaeaglix, evolved roughly 2.3 billion years ago in the late Predacious. Although its wings were rudimentary to say the least, this ravenous ancestor made a reasonable living on a diet of various fish and dinosaurs. It was in the Plasticine period, 12 million years ago, however, that the eagle really begin to kick off. It evolved into three of the most notorious creatures that ever lived: the New Zealand Giant Eagle, the Demon Duck of Doom (Bullockornis planei) and the Sabertooth Tiger. Although the New Zealand Giant Eagle survived into the second century, the Demon Duck of Doom and the Sabertooth Tiger were not so lucky. Aquila audax, the Wedge-Tailed Eagle, is Australia's largest eagle. It preys on Kangaroos, Wallabies and occasionally a small child. It makes its roost in tall gum trees, and its excellant eyesight allows it to see potential prey at a distance of three thousand kilometres. Although the Wedge-Tailed Eagle is most certainly large, it is a pebble compared to the boulder that is the Golden Eagle. This eagle, Aquila chrysaetos, is three-quarters of the size of the New Zealand Giant Eagle and is known to have carried of adult male buffalo. Its bright golden colour is due to large quantities of powdered gold in the waters of the Grand Canyon, from which this eagle drinks. It is estimated that, as the Golden Eagle evolved from Achaeaglix, which was the size of a chicken, and according to fossil records its speed of growth is increasing, that in one hundred years it will be about half the size of Uluru. As the Golden Eagle is one of the most intelligent of birds, and Achaeaglix had the brains of a chicken, it will also be intelligent enough to take over the world.
That was the Life of Birds... Written and Narrated by David Attenborough (C) MMIIIV Reuben Sayers Pictures... Next week, Episode Three - Tears of the Albatross!
Tear of the Albatross, original script[edit | edit source]
THE LIFE OF BIRDS narrated by david attenborough
EPISODE THREE - TEARS OF THE ALBATROSS
The Albatross the greatest migratory bird in the world. It regularly migrates from Antarctic shores, spiralling up around the world to the icefields of northern Canada and Russia, where the females lay their eggs, in clutches from two to three hundred in number. The Albatross has a wingspan of over ten metres, which it uses to intimidate its prey of sharks and various marine mammals and birds, including small whales. It was once belevied that the Albatross cried, but it was proved recently by a scientist named Albert Ross that they are in fact removing excess salt from the bodies, as tears do, but not in water. Channels in their beaks allow streams of dry salt to slide down the face of the beak and trickle onto the ground. The Albatross, in searching for its food, can dive to depths of over fifty kilometres. Sadly, they are often ensnared in fishing nets, where they struggle for air until they drown. On the bright side, however, because of the size, they provide sufficient food for sharks and other carnivorous fish for up to six hundred years. When the young Albatross hatch, they are tended by their parents until they reach maturity at the age of sixty-nine. Then it is time for them to fly. They will have just one chance at this. They stand on a hill in a windy area and proceed to charge down towards the sea, reaching speeds of eighty kilometres an hour in ten seconds. Then they flap their wings. If the succeed in taking off, they will not land again until they have reached the south pole. If they fail, the plunge off the hill and are dashed to death on the rocks. The journey to Antarctica is truly spectacular. First they fly east until reach the easternmost point of Russia, then the turn slightly to the south and into China, where they don't stay long for fear of being eaten with chopsticks. Then its down into India and then to Africa, where they hover for a while over Kilamanjaro. Then the cross the Atlantic into Brazil and northen Argentina before continuing their journey over the Pacific, into New Zealand and then down into Antarctica, where they touch ground for the first time in eighty days. When in the north the preyed on Walrus and Narwhals, they now must change their diet to killer whales and penguins. This often causes sickness and vomiting among the young birds, but they soon grow accustomed. They live in Antarctica for up to ninety year, then begin the flight back to the place of their birth to breed and lay. After their chicks have left for their great journey, the parents remain in the north for a few more weeks, then set off themselves. For the next two hundred years they will fly in spirals round the world up to four hundred times. Then they begin to grow old, and settle permanently in the north. The Albatross is, truly, the greatest migratory bird. (As I mentioned before)
That was the Life of Birds... Written and Narrated by David Attenborough (C) MMIIIV Reuben Sayers Pictures... Next week, Episode Four - Birds of Paradise!
Birds of Paradise, original script[edit | edit source]
THE LIFE OF BIRDS narrated by david attenborough
EPISODE FOUR - BIRDS OF PARADISE
The bird of paradise is a group of birds native to New Guinea Pig. Although Birds of Paradise are rarely seen, they are saught after by many naturologists for their bright plumage. The natives (Indians) of the region hunted them with poison-tipped arrows. In the mating season, the males display their bright plumage (flirt) to the females, often accompanied by their song....