Bird Characteristics

morphological characteristics of birds

There are more than 10,400 species of birds, which are distinguished from other animals by having feathers, and they are warm-blooded vertebrates, which are more related to reptiles than to mammals, and depend on strong vision to live, as their senses of smell and hearing are limited.

Also, most birds are mostly diurnal, that is, they are active and search for their food during the day and rest at night, and they have a number of morphological characteristics:

the size

The size of the birds varies by a large and varied percentage, as the bee hummingbird is the smallest bird with a length of 6.3 cm, while the largest bird is the ostrich , as it reaches a height of 2.75 meters, and it is one of the flightless birds.

the weight

The weight of the bird also varies according to its type, for example, the bee hummingbird, which is the smallest bird, weighs less than 3 g, while the ostrich, which is the largest bird, weighs 150 kg, and the weight of a bird such as the largest trumpet swan can reach 17 kg, and this is a lot of weight for A bird that can fly.

feathers

Feathers are the distinguishing feature that distinguishes all living birds from other animals. Bird feathers are made of a substance called keratin, which is the same substance that makes up the hair and nails of humans and other animals.

The importance of feathers for birds is not only to help them fly, but also to provide warmth and protection for them as well, as small soft feathers help birds provide warmth, while long feathers help them fly, and birds feathers fall at a rate of one to two times per year, depending on the type of bird.

beak

All birds, without exception, have a beak, made of bony pulp and surrounded by a thin layer of keratin, but they do not have any teeth like other animals. Rather, most species have sharp edges along their beak, and they do not chew food, but rather grind it or cut it into small pieces, allowing them to swallow it.

The shape of the beak indicates the diet that the bird eats, as carnivorous birds such as the falcon and the owl have sharp and hooked beaks that allow them to tear the prey well, while the seed-eating birds have strong conical beaks that allow them to eat the seeds. Ducks and geese have flat, wide beaks that allow them to extract food from the water and eat it.

wings

Although not all birds can fly, all birds have wings, and wings are not limited to birds only, as bats have wings and they are mammals, and most insects have wings, and birds can fly thanks to their body shape and strong chest muscles Curved in a way that allows its wings to rise and fly.

The shape of the wings differs from one bird to another, and this is what gives each bird certain advantages that are different from others, for example, the falcon’s thin wings provide it with speed, and the albatross has wings that are much longer than their width, which allows them to fly high, while most songbirds have oval-shaped wings and even, allowing it to move quickly in tight spaces.

There are a group of birds that prefer swimming, such as penguins or puffins, as these birds have fin-shaped wings that provide them with speed and lightness in the water.

the eyes

Birds’ eyes are distinguished by being the strongest in sight than any other animal’s eyes on the planet, as birds can see part of the ultraviolet spectrum of light, which mammals cannot see, because they have four types of color receptors “cone cells” in the eye, while they have There are only three mammals.

Hawks and birds of prey generally represent the strongest and sharpest sighted birds, while pigeons are superior to humans in their ability to distinguish color differences, and this is what makes birds have a stronger sense of sight than any other animal group.

Skeletal shape

Most birds have lightweight skeletons with hollow bones, which allow them to fly lightly and gracefully, although some bones such as; The wishbones are overlapping and rigid, which helps in strengthening the wings in flight, and for the sternum or breastbone they are large so as to provide support with strong wing muscles in flight.

There are birds that do not fly quot; The penguin has heavy bones full of marrow, in order to help it survive in the freezing and difficult climate, and the ostrich also has heavy bones and solid legs, in order to allow it to run and defend itself by kicking other animals.

This means that all birds have wings even if they do not fly like a penguin, and they all share certain formal characteristics such as: feathers, beaks, eye sharpness and strength, and others.

Behavioral characteristics of birds

Birds, like any other animal group, have some behavioral characteristics that distinguish them, and some of these behaviors are instinctive and instinctive, while others are through experience and learning.

reproduction

During the breeding season, bird voices reach their highest level, especially males who outperform females in this respect. Most birds build a nest in which to lay eggs, and some other types of birds such as; The willow bird nest is of a complex structure.

Some types of birds lay their eggs directly on the ground or between tree branches, and the size, number, shape, and color of eggs vary according to the type of bird.

mating

Birds perform certain behaviors when mating, as males and females tend to flirt with each other by offering food or making some dancing movements, such as western grebes, as males and females dance together in a coordinated and rapid display.

The male northern cardinal bird expresses his interest in the female by tweeting to her and making movements with his body and showing his chest. Satisfied with the food offered.

While some birds quot; The California Scribjay bird expresses its interest in the female by moving its tail, spreading its wings, shaking its head, approaching it, and issuing tender and tender sounds. The female sometimes performs a dance for the male, and if the dance is performed in a correct rhythm, the male will often mate with her.

Take care of the little ones

The period that birds need to hatch eggs ranges from 11 to 80 days, and this depends on the size and type of bird, and most songbirds hatch completely without feathers, so the parents embrace them to regulate their body temperature and keep them warm, and they feed them even after they are able to fly.

Other birds, such as chickens, ducks, and shorebirds, hatch with a few fluffy feathers, and are immediately able to forage for themselves.

The time spent by parents in caring for young birds varies according to the type of bird, as small megapods can fly after a short period of hatching and are completely independent of their parents, while other birds, such as the young royal albatross, take about 8 months to leave the nest and be able to fly.

communication

Birds communicate together with what is known as tweeting, which is a clear sound that does not have to be musical. Birds use it to attract a mate in the mating season, or to warn another bird of the same sex. The tones vary individually from one bird to another, as it is believed that some birds can identify their colleagues and neighbors. by this difference in sound.

The method of tweeting and making sounds varies according to the situation. For example, the American Robin and some other species emit one tone when it sees a hawk above its head, while it emits another tone when it sees a predator on the ground. Small birds also emit certain tones and calls to stimulate parents and alert them to feed them.

Birds use these sounds in other situations, such as aggressive situations, when mating, courtship, or when flying. For example, sniper birds make very loud sounds when they are in flight, while storks clap their beaks as a form of courtship.

immigration

Many birds migrate during the spring and fall seasons, and it is not known what are the exact reasons that motivate the migration of birds in general, but many bird species migrate and travel hundreds of miles over mountains and oceans every year.

Thus, most types of birds share certain behavioral characteristics such as migration, and each bird has a specific way of communicating with other birds, when courting a female, or when mating