birds
Post on 18-May-2015
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Birds
Characteristics of Birds Feathers Help birds stay dry and warm,
attract mates, and fly Preening and Molting Preening: the act of
grooming and maintaining their feathers
Preening spreads oil over the feathers, which makes them waterproof
Molting: process of shedding old feathers and growing new ones
Most birds shed once a year
Two kinds of feathers Down feathers fluffy
feathers that lie next to the bird’s body
Keep birds warm by trapping body heat next to body
Contour feathers stiff feathers that cover a bird’s body and wings
Colors and shapes attract mates
Streamlined surface helps bird fly
Fast Digestion Birds eat a lot because they
need a lot of energy Birds eat seeds, insects, nuts,
and meat because they are high in protein
Modern birds don’t have teeth, so they can’t chew
Food goes from the mouth to the crop, which stores food until it goes to the gizzard the gizzard has small stones which grind up the food so that it can be easily digested
Flying Birds have air sacs attached to their
lungs to store air Most birds have large eyes and
excellent eyesight; birds such as hawks and eagles can see 8 times better than humans can see!
Wing shape is related to how a bird flies- short wings for quick turning, long wings for soaring
Rigid skeleton allows a bird to move its wings efficiently
Powerful flight muscle attached to a large breastbone called a keel
Birds have hollow bones so that they are light
Getting off the ground Air moving around a bird’s
wing changes in speed and direction, creating an upward force that keeps a bird in the air
“lift” is an upward force on a bird’s wings
Raising Baby Birds Most birds build nests to
lay their eggs Brooding act of sitting
on eggs and using body heat to keep them warm
Some birds are active soon after birth; others are weak and helpless
Precocial active chicks, such as chickens and ducks; can stand up and follow parents around
Altricial have no feathers and eyes are closed when born; cannot walk or fly at birth, such as hawks and songbirds
Kinds of Birds Flightless birds
Most do not have the large keel that anchors a birds’ flight muscles
Some run quickly to move around
Others are skilled swimmers
Examples: penguins, kiwi, ostrich
Water birds Usually have
webbed feet for swimming or long legs for wading
Examples: cranes, ducks, geese, swans, pelicans
Perching birds Have special adaptations
for resting on branches Its feet automatically
close around a branch Even if it falls asleep, its
feet will stay closed—it won’t fall off the branch
Examples: chickadees, parrots, robins, sparrows
Birds of Prey Hunt and eat other
vertebrates Have sharp claws on
their feet and a sharp, curved beak
Also have very good vision
Most hunt during the day, but most owls hunt at night
Examples: owls, osprey, hawks, vultures
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