First Children Encyclopedia

The Nile, in Africa, at 6,695 km (4,160 miles).^177

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Many birds

make a slow-

moving river their

hunting ground,

snatching small fish

from the water. The

kingfisher is a colourful

inhabitant of many

European rivers.

The flowing current

Changing the landscape

Over millions of years, rivers cut channels in

the earth. A notable example of this is the

Colorado River and the Grand Canyon.

The fish is held
in the bird’s
dagger-like beak.

The kingfisher

will dive to about

25 cm (10 in) to

grab a fish.

Against the flow

Swift-flowing water

captures oxygen, helping

fish to breathe. Chinook salmon

swim against the current heading

for their spawning grounds. It’s a

dangerous journey.

A brown bear is

drawn to the river

by the presence

of salmon.

The Colorado

River

Brown bear