Birds And their characteristics

1. BirdsAnd their characteristics By Brittanie Sims

2. General Info • Belong to class Aves • More than 8,600 species of modern birds • Have feathers-lightweight, modified scale that provides insulation & enables flight • Have wings • Endotherms • Can live in all environments • Sometimes referred to as a feathered dinosaur

3. Feathers • A large bird can have 25,000 or more contour feathers with a million tiny hooks that interlock and make a “fabric” for flight • Fluffy down feathers have no hooks to hold the filaments together. Act as insulators to keep the bird warm • Contour feathers help to enable flight • Wing/tail feathers usually lost in pairs so that the bird can maintain its balance in flight

4. Bones • Large Breastbone (sternum) powerful flight muscles attached to breast bone & to the upper bone of each wing • Thin hollow bones to maintain low weight & make flight easier

5. Basic Body Info • 4 chambered heart beats rapidly and moves oxygenated blood through the body • Efficient circulation supplies cells with the oxygen needed to produce energy • Respiratory system supplies oxygenated air to the lungs when it inhales/exhales • Digestive system of a bird is adapted for dealing with large quantities of food that must be eaten to maintain the level of energy needed for flight

6. cont. • Legs are made up of mostly skin, bones, and tendons • Feet are adapted for perching, swimming, walking, or catching prey • Have beaks made up of a protein called keratin • Have no teeth

7. Beaks/Eggs • Shape of beak gives you an idea of the type of bird • Long, narrow-nectar • Large-tear apart prey • Huge-carry fish • Short, stout-cracking seeds • Eggs are distinctive and often the species of a bird can be determined by size, color, and shape of the egg • Incubate/sit on eggs to keep them warm, turning them periodically so that they can properly develop