I’ve been pondering this one: do I have “a” favorite animal overall? In the thread, What is your favorite bird? I chose Tropicbirds. They are seabirds, hunting fish and squids like terns, i.e., by plunge diving, and nest on sea cliffs or offshore islands; yet on my trip to French Polynesia a few years ago, I saw them flying below the canopy in the rainforest, far up in a valley. I don’t see any references online as to why they do that.
But with the thread asking about a favorite animal – across all phyla – would I venture to say that Tropicbirds are a favorite overall? I never thought in those terms; I always considered “favorite bird,” “favorite mammal,” and so on. How could I compare mammals with butterflies, or fishes with flatworms?