Even though jungles have always been a subject of fascination for mankind, many of us wouldn't be able to answer some basic questions, like, what animals live in the jungle? Intriguing because if you sit down to compile a list of all the jungle animals names, their species and subspecies, you will have a really long list. We have tried to make your task a bit easier by compiling a list of jungle animals. A jungle is an area with dense vegetation marked by intense competition and struggle for survival between the jungle animal species. About 57 percent of the species of living things on the planet live in jungles.
Animals inhabit all the surroundings, but more than half of the living animals on this planet are found in rainforests. Jungle animals are constantly involved in struggle to ensure their survival. Contradictory to the popular belief that animals mean only mammals, in reality, the animal kingdom (or 'kingdom Animalia') also includes reptiles, birds and insects. The jungle animals list is dominated by predators which help in ensuring a proper balance of the ecosystem by playing an active role in the food chain. Knowing what kinds of animals live in the jungle can help us to understand the jungle ecosystem, and the importance of preserving it. List of Jungle Birds: There are around 10,000 living species of birds found all over the world, ranging from the 2 inch Hummingbird to the 8 ft Ostrich. Owing to the diverse nature of the jungle, many birds choose it as their habitat.
Different types of birds are categorized into different orders, namely, Falconiformes, Galliformes, Strigiformes, Coraciiformes and Piciformes. Coraciiformes The birds of Coraciiformes order are mostly characterized by three forward pointing toes. While 90 percent of this group is made up of various species of Kingfishers, it also consists birds such as the bee eaters and the hornbills. The Puerto Rican Tody is the smallest bird in this group of birds, weighing between 5 to 6 gm, while the Southern ground-hornbill is the largest bird, weighing 4.8 to 13.6 lbs. Falconiformes Falconiformes are characterized by sharply hooked beaks, strong legs, raptorial claws and long and fairly broad wings, which help these birds in soaring high in the sky.
The group consists of about 290 species of diurnal birds of prey, such as falcons, eagles and vultures. The smallest bird in this group is black-thighed falconet, found in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, which measures 5.5 in, weighs 1 oz and has a wingspan of 10.3 inches, while the largest species in this group is the Cinereous vulture, native to Europe and Asia, which measures 46 in, weighs 31 lbs and has a wingspan of 10 ft.
Vultures are scavenging birds feeding mostly on dead carcasses. Some species such as Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle are found in United States. Galliformes Galliformes are characterized by their stout built and their short thick bills. Most of these birds are herbivores with the exception of a few who are omnivores. Their specially designed bills help them to forage on the ground to feed on roots, other plant materials and insects. There are around 250 living species of these birds which include turkeys, quails, pheasants and grouse. The ruffed grouse, one of the species of grouse is the state bird of Pennsylvania. The smallest bird among the galliformes is the Asian Blue Quail, which measures 5 in and weighs between 1 to 1.5 oz, whereas the largest is the North American Wild Turkey which measures 47 in and weighs 30 lbs.
Piciformes The piciformes order of birds is made up of six families of arboreal birds such as woodpeckers and toucans. This group has about 400 different species of birds, half of which comprise different sub-species of the woodpecker. Most of these birds are insectivores, though some birds, such as barbets and toucans, do feed on fruits. Rufous Piculet, is the smallest bird, whereas Black-mandibled Toucan, one of the tropical rainforest birds, is the largest bird in this group. Strigiformes Strigiformes order of birds consists of about 200 living species of nocturnal birds of prey, found all over the world, except for Antarctica and Greenland. The group is largely made up of various species of owls.
These nocturnal birds most often feed on small mammals, insects and other smaller birds. Having a wingspan of about 6.6 ft, the Eurasian Eagle Owl is the largest species in this order. These birds have adapted themselves to various environment including the tundra forests of arctic, which is home to the snowy owl or the Great White Owl or Arctic Owl.
