Kingfisher

This is one more design taken from Mexican ceramic stamps. According to a Wikipedia entry on the bird:

"Kingfishers live in both woodland and wetland habitats. Kingfishers that live near water hunt small fish by diving. They also eat crayfish, frogs, and insects. Wood kingfishers eat reptiles. Kingfishers of all three families beat their prey to death, either by whipping it against a tree or by dropping it on a stone.

They are able to see well both in air and under water while swimming. they use mask like goggles just like humans do. if they didn't, they would go blind from all the bacteria floating in the water. Their eyes also have evolved an egg-shaped lens able to focus in the two different environments."

Animals that use tools are pretty fascinating. C'mon using a tree to beat their prey to death and eyes like goggles to see underwater, that's incredible. There's actually a cool article in last months National Geographic about scientists hwo study animals so we can borrow their ingenious characteristics in applications such as car design and robotics. Check it!

Location: Clement and Main Sts.