Birds World

Introducing the world of birds

Birds are one of the types of vertebrates, and they differ from others in that they have wings and feathers, in addition to having a beak instead of teeth. It is known that birds can fly, but flight is not the distinguishing characteristic of birds. Possesses strong enough wings.

The most prominent characteristics of the world of birds

Birds have many structural, physiological, and behavioral characteristics that distinguish them from other animals, and in the following is an explanation of these characteristics:

The most prominent characteristics of the synthetic world of birds

Structural characteristics mainly refer to appearance, and among these characteristics are the following:

Light skeleton

Birds have a light skeleton to help them fly in distant horizons, as the skeleton is hollow and filled with air gaps, which helps birds to remain lightweight to be able to fly, and also helps them to withstand flight conditions that may be harsh at times.

Feathers cover the body

All birds have feathers made up of keratin, other proteins, and light-reflecting pigments; So that it serves as an insulator for the body, and there are different types of feathers that birds possess, there are types of feathers that are for decoration, and other types that help birds control their flight, and types that help isolation only.

Wings help to fly

Wings are one of the most important distinguishing characteristics of birds. Even birds that do not fly have wings or fins that they may use to swim, threaten other animals, or perform courtship dances. The size and shape of wings differ among bird species, so the markings on the wings are useful in identifying species . the birds.

Having a beak instead of a mouth

Instead of a mouth, all birds have a beak, which is a bony protrusion covered in keratin. The shape of the beak helps tell what kind of food the bird is feeding on.

Many birds also use their beaks as tools to carry nest building materials, to peck, to straighten feathers and other tasks, and some birds even use their beaks as weapons to peck their enemies, or to help regulate body temperature.

Having two walking feet

All birds have two feet that are used to sit, walk, jump, or run. For example, wading birds have long, thin feet suitable for moving through deep waters, while birds of prey have thicker and stronger feet to capture prey.

The most prominent physiological characteristics of the bird world

There are many physiological characteristics that must be present in birds, and among these characteristics are the following:

Warm-blooded

All birds are endothermic, which means that they generate the heat of their internal bodies themselves, and do not depend on their environment only to maintain their temperature, and there are many birds that remain under the sun to help regulate their temperature, by lying in the sunlight to expose the feathers and skin to direct sunlight .

High metabolism

Birds have high and efficient metabolisms, which help them convert food into usable energy quickly, and they also have 4-chambered hearts and a high respiratory rate, which helps them to be flexible and agile, in addition to maintaining their high body temperatures.

It reproduces by eggs

All birds lay eggs as part of their reproductive cycle, and the eggs have a hard shell, as they need incubation to continue growing until hatching, and the size, shape, and markings of eggs vary according to the type of bird, as well as the number of eggs that are laid, and the time required for the eggs to remain in the incubation, in addition to the condition of the young upon hatching.

The most prominent behavioral characteristics of the world of birds

Birds possess behavioral characteristics that help them to coexist, and distinguish them from other animals, and among these characteristics are the following:

Well-developed communication skills

Birds have very developed communication skills, as many bird species communicate vocally with each other, and many species use communication as courtship behavior, to defend their territories, to distinguish mother birds and children, and to cooperate with each other.

Track migratory behavior

Bird species differ in terms of migration. There are migratory and non-migratory birds, but both have equally insightful navigational skills. These skills allow migratory species to undertake journeys of hundreds or thousands of miles through very different climatic and geographical conditions, with access to the same places. year after year.

While non-migratory birds use these navigation skills to go to food sources or their nesting sites (nest) without difficulty, the reasons for bird migration differ from one type to another .

The most prominent collections of the world of birds

There is a great diversity in the groups of the world of birds, as the earth is home to more than 10,000 species of birds spread across a wide range of habitats, and it is mentioned that there is a difference between experts on how to classify birds, especially for some precise characteristics, but there are 30 groups of birds agreed upon The most prominent of which are the following:

Prey birds, such as eagles and hawks.
Flamingos.
Quail.

Nutrition in the world of birds

Bird feeding varies according to types , as each bird has different food preferences, and in the following is an explanation of some types of birds and their food preferences:

Birds eat other birds

and these birds feed on the meat of other birds, and this type of feeding is common in birds of prey such as accipiters.

Carnivorous birds

and these birds feed on meat, including rodents, mammals, fish, amphibians, and reptiles, and all birds of prey are meat-eating birds, in addition to some other birds, including crows.

Fruit-eating birds

and these birds feed on fruits, such as toucans birds.

Grain-eating birds

and these birds feed mainly on grains or seeds, such as sparrows birds.

Insectivorous birds

and these birds feed on various insects such as mosquitoes, mosquitoes, and dragonflies, such as; Flycatchers.

Birds that feed on mollusks

and these birds feed on molluscs such as: snails, slugs, and oysters, such as; Limpkin birds.

Mucus-eating birds

and these birds feed on the sap of plants and trees, such as; woodpecker (woodpecker).

Birds that feed on nectar

and these birds feed on the nectar of flowers, such as sunbirds.

Snake-eating birds

and among these birds; egrets bird.

Pollen-eating birds

and feed on pollen found in flowers; Like the bee hummingbird (zunzuncito).

Fish-eating birds

and among these birds; Osprey.

omnivorous birds

and these birds feed on everything from plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi; Like Ducks.

Breeding in the world of birds

Birds reproduce sexually through internal fertilization, either through ovulation or childbirth, as the birds have one outlet and entrance for sperm, eggs, and droppings, so that the male brings his sperm to the female, and the sperm fertilizes the egg inside the female.

Then the egg develops inside the female, and then either the eggs are laid in the nest, or the birds carry the egg for a certain period that varies according to the types of birds, so the egg turns into a chick and it is born.

Birds need to live in environments in which they can hide from predators and inclement weather, such as trees, bushes, meadows, and even rocky walls, in addition to they need natural environments in which water and food are available, so birds are always found near natural water sources.