Lisa Nakanishi, age 13, of Cumberland, Md., for her question:

HOW DID THE ADJUTANT BIRD RECEIVE ITS NAME?

The adjutant bird is a member of the stork family. It received the name of a military officer because it always seems to stand at attention.

The adjutant bird stands flue fast high and can have a wingspread of 14 feet. This is definitely what you'd call a large bird.

Adjutant birds are native to India, Africa and Southeast Asia. They are also frequent residents in many of the world's zoos.

In the wilds, the birds are scavengers and eat decaying meat. Sometimes they fly with vultures as they look for food. They also eat fresh fish, meat and frogs.

Like storks, as they rest they stand on one leg with the other drawn up under them.

Adjutant birds build their nests on rocky cliffs or in trees. They lay three to four white eggs.