Todd Cerami, age 11, of Piscataway, N.J., for his question:

 DO BIRDS DIE OF HEART ATTACKS?

Yes, birds occasionally die of heart attacks, and they are often caused by intense excitement or fatigue. But for a bird, death may come in many different ways. It may be swift, or it may be a slow death by starvation. Many birds die of a fungus infection in the lungs, while others perish from freezing weather, a drying pond or a fierce headwind during migration. And a bird is prey for many animals such as snakes, foxes, weasels, skunks and even on rare occasions such fish species as northern pike and goosefish.

Perhaps the most precarious time in the life of a bird is when he is still in the nest. Weak and defenseless he often becomes the tasty meal of birds of prey such as the eagle, owl, hawk or shrike. If this isn't threatening enough, he can also be attacked by the firstborn chick in the nest. Occasionally birds become the prey of animals who ordinarily wouldn't bother them at all. This occurs when the usual supply of food dwindles to such an extent that they are forced to search elsewhere for food.