Synopsis
The nature documentary looks at birds and, with slow-motion cameras and aerial photography, reveals some of the extraordinary things that having feathers allows them to do.
- Programme: Life
- Episode: 5: Birds
- Channel: BBC HD
- Broadcast year: 2009
- Biology | Ecology
Licence: ERA Licence required
UK only
Staff and students of licensed education establishments only
Cannot be adapted
Add Notes
More clips from Life
1: Challenges of Life | Life
1: Challenges of Life | Life
David Attenborough examines how living long enough to breed is a monumental struggle, and how many animals and plants go to extremes to give the...
10: Primates | Life
10: Primates | Life
The nature documentary examines primates, including armies of Hamadryas baboons battling on the plains of Ethiopia, and macaques in Japan lounging in the...
2: Reptiles and Amphibians | Life
2: Reptiles and Amphibians | Life
David Attenborough reveals the strategies used by reptiles and amphibians to conquer their shortcomings, whether for safety, breeding or ca...
3: Mammals | Life
3: Mammals | Life
David Attenborough looks at how mammals dominate the planet through having warm blood and caring for their young, including Weddell seals, caribou and hump...
4: Fish | Life
4: Fish | Life
Nature documentary looking at the fish that dominate the planet's waters through their variety of shapes and behaviours, some like creatures from a fairytale.
6: Insects | Life
6: Insects | Life
The nature documentary looks at the most successful animal group, with 200 million insects for each human. The key is an armoured covering that takes on al...
7: Hunters and Hunted | Life
7: Hunters and Hunted | Life
The nature documentary explores mammals' ability to learn new tricks to survive, and features unique footage of a killer whale hunting elephant ...
8: Creatures of the Deep | Life
8: Creatures of the Deep | Life
Nature documentary series looks at marine invertebrates, some of the planet's most bizarre and beautiful animals, including Humboldt squid an...
9: Plants | Life
9: Plants | Life
The nature series turns to plants and looks at the ingenious solutions that they employ to counter life's challenges, such as spring-loaded traps, suckers a...
A resilient forest | Life
A resilient forest | Life
Two species of tree weather incredibly harsh conditions and seasonal change to ensure their survival.
Baboon society | Life
Baboon society | Life
It's like a battle scene from Lord of the Rings, except these aren't orcs fighting humans, these are hamadryas baboons fighting each other. Living in t...
Bouncing toads | Life
Bouncing toads | Life
A toad deploys its defence mechanism in order to evade a toad eating tarantula.
Chameleon challenge | Life
Chameleon challenge | Life
While searching for a mate across the huge barren Namib desert, a female Namaqua chameleon seeks shade in the knowledge that tasty desert beetles ...
Cross-dresser | Life
Cross-dresser | Life
Some male cuttlefish are too small to fight for a mate, so have to come up with a sneaky plan if they are to get their way with the girls. Approaching a...
Cunning Cacti | Life
Cunning Cacti | Life
This cacti deploys a variety of methods to maximise its chances of successful seed dispersal.
Dancing dragons | Life
Dancing dragons | Life
As part of their courtship, sea dragons perform a graceful dance.
Fantastic fishing | Life
Fantastic fishing | Life
The greater bull dog bat is a fine mammal, and a fisherman.
Flower power | Life
Flower power | Life
Flowers lure pollinators to ensure that plants can reproduce.
Forest education | Life
Forest education | Life
In the Sumatran rainforest, a female orangutan still looks after her 6-year-old daughter; it will be another three years before her education is comp...
Leadership challenge | Life
Leadership challenge | Life
To have a chance of mating, any new male in the river must first defeat the overlord, the current dominant male.
More resources about Living Things and Their Habitats
1: Cauldron of Life | Galapagos
1: Cauldron of Life | Galapagos
Liz Bonnin joins a scientific team aboard the research vessel the Alucia on an expedition across the Galapagos Islands.
1: Island of Marvels | Madagascar
1: Island of Marvels | Madagascar
Series exploring Madagascar and its unique wildlife. David Attenborough reveals the most bizarre places and their inhabitants on this ecolo...
1: One Ocean | Blue Planet II
1: One Ocean | Blue Planet II
Wildlife documentary series presented by David Attenborough, revealing new worlds and animal behaviours throughout the planet's oceans.
1: The Cold Blooded Truth | Life in Cold Blood
1: The Cold Blooded Truth | Life in Cold Blood
David Attenborough reveals the surprising truth about the cold-blooded lives of reptiles and amphibians.
1: The Infinite Variety | Life On Earth
1: The Infinite Variety | Life On Earth
The first ever episode of the landmark natural history series Life on Earth. David Attenborough explores the wildlife and landscape t...
1: Travelling | The Private Life of Plants
1: Travelling | The Private Life of Plants
David Attenborough begins his incredible journey into the world of plants with a look at how plants move from place to place.
10: Primates | Life
10: Primates | Life
The nature documentary examines primates, including armies of Hamadryas baboons battling on the plains of Ethiopia, and macaques in Japan lounging in the...
10: Themes and Variations | Life On Earth
10: Themes and Variations | Life On Earth
David Attenborough looks at some of the huge variety of mammals. The tree shrew has attracted great interest as it shows how mammal...
11: The Hunters and the Hunted | Life On Earth
11: The Hunters and the Hunted | Life On Earth
David Attenborough explores the eternal duel between the hunters and the hunted - one of the driving forces of evolution.
12: Life in the Trees | Life On Earth
12: Life in the Trees | Life On Earth
David Attenborough's now-legendary encounter with young gorillas is featured in this episode as he looks at the history of primates.
13: The Compulsive Communicators | Life On Earth
13: The Compulsive Communicators | Life On Earth
David Attenborough seeks to explain how we came to dominate life on earth, tracing the African origins of humans to nearly t...
2: Building Bodies | Life On Earth
2: Building Bodies | Life On Earth
Sir David Attenborough presents a revised version of the original wildlife series about the remarkable evolution of life on our planet. Th...
2: Civilisations | H2O: The Molecule That Made Us
2: Civilisations | H2O: The Molecule That Made Us
This episode travels to the Congo, Egypt, China and Mexico to reveal how water changed humanity's footprint on the planet.
2: Growing | The Private Life of Plants
2: Growing | The Private Life of Plants
David Attenborough continues his incredible journey into the world of plants. Remarkable time-lapse photography reveals how new leave...
2: Land Invaders | Life in Cold Blood
2: Land Invaders | Life in Cold Blood
David Attenborough reveals the bizarre adaptations which have helped amphibians break their ties with water as he meets marsupial frogs...
2: Lost Worlds | Madagascar
2: Lost Worlds | Madagascar
David Attenborough looks at the island's eastern coast, home to cyanide-eating lemurs and leaf-tailed geckos.
2: Reptiles and Amphibians | Life
2: Reptiles and Amphibians | Life
David Attenborough reveals the strategies used by reptiles and amphibians to conquer their shortcomings, whether for safety, breeding or ca...
2: Secrets of the Deep | Galapagos
2: Secrets of the Deep | Galapagos
Liz Bonnin and the team of scientific experts set off beneath the waves in a specially equipped deep sea submersible and go in search of a...
2: The Deep | Blue Planet II
2: The Deep | Blue Planet II
The wildlife documentary series narrated by David Attenborough goes on groundbreaking journey to the deepest parts of the oceans.
2: The Deep | The Blue Planet
2: The Deep | The Blue Planet
David Attenborough narrates a natural history of the oceans to uncover the strange, otherworldly creatures living in the depths of the ocean.
More from Sir David Attenborough
8: Heroes | Planet Earth III
8: Heroes | Planet Earth III
Sir David Attenborough introduces conservation heroes fighting to save the world's wildlife, from exploring remote jungles to going undercover t...
The mystery of the whale shark nursery | Blue Planet II
The mystery of the whale shark nursery | Blue Planet II
Nutrients from the deep provide sustenance for a large gathering of sea life.
Ants vs Cows | Natural World
Ants vs Cows | Natural World
The super colony unites in a spectacular attack to defend their nest from curious cows.
3: Jungles | Planet Earth II
3: Jungles | Planet Earth II
Jungles provide the richest habitats on the planet - mysterious worlds of high drama where extraordinary animals attempt to survive in the most ...
Lizard Heaters | Life in Cold Blood
Lizard Heaters | Life in Cold Blood
Wall lizards take advantage of foul-smelling dead-horse arums.
How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth? | Horizon
How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth? | Horizon
Naturalist Sir David Attenborough investigates whether the world faces a population crisis and if it is the duty of indiv...
7: Great Plains | Planet Earth
7: Great Plains | Planet Earth
Documentary series which celebrates Earth in its natural glory. A look at the great plains - wildernesses which support the greatest gathering...
Weighty wanderers | Life in the Freezer
Weighty wanderers | Life in the Freezer
With a wingspan of over 3m, the wandering albatross has the biggest feeding range of any bird. Throughout the winter they remain in n...
Our Precious Isles | Wild Isles
Our Precious Isles | Wild Isles
David Attenborough celebrates the rich variety of habitats in our wild isles, the existence of which is critical for the survival of species ...
David Attenborough | The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
David Attenborough | The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
David Attenborough speaks about the environment. Also, includes footage of the drones that turn into animals.
2: Water Worlds | The Green Planet
2: Water Worlds | The Green Planet
A look at the beautiful, bizarre worlds created by water plants. Flowers smother rivers and lakes. Plants fight and hunt. A river bubbles ...
Greta meets David Attenborough | Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World
Greta meets David Attenborough | Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World
Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough discuss their hopes for the future of the planet.
COP26 delegates and climate scientists | Climate Change: The Facts
COP26 delegates and climate scientists | Climate Change: The Facts
COP26 delegates and climate scientist Hannah Cloke discuss their hopes for the COP26 conference.
The People v Climate Change
The People v Climate Change
Meet the 108 ordinary Brits who Sir David Attenborough says we should listen to. This warm and honest documentary reveals how everyday people fee...
Leopard seal vs penguin | Seven Worlds, One Planet
Leopard seal vs penguin | Seven Worlds, One Planet
Glaciers crumbling more quickly, due to climate change, give the advantage to leopard seals hunting penguins.
Poison dart frogs battle it out | Attenborough's Life in Colour
Poison dart frogs battle it out | Attenborough's Life in Colour
A poison dart frog fights off a contender until he's sufficiently warned off.
The Weddell seal's adaptations | Life
The Weddell seal's adaptations | Life
The Weddell seal is perfectly adapted to survive in the environment it must endure.
Biodiversity loss | Extinction: The Facts
Biodiversity loss | Extinction: The Facts
An exploration of the devastating impacts of the loss of insect and plant biodiversity.
David, The Ruler | Dynasties
David, The Ruler | Dynasties
One strong and determined leader, David, rules the land, but can trust no one.
Marine predators and scavengers | The Blue Planet
Marine predators and scavengers | The Blue Planet
The scavengers of the deep ocean rely on predators at the surface to provide their nutrition.