Birds originated from reptiles that evolved the ability of flight. This happened around 150 million years ago, and they now consist of 9, 721 species.  They have a large range of sizes from the bee hummingbird to the flightless ostrich. The oldest known bird was Archaeopteryx, which was probably a two legged predator capable of powered flight. Many birds appear on the threatened list, but because habitat loss is currently the major factor of extinction, the majority occur in rainforests. This is because rainforests are disappearing at a faster rate than other habitats.  The harpy eagle, the world’s most powerful bird of prey, which inhabits the Amazon Rainforest, is one such victim.

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