Birds And their characteristics By Brittanie Sims

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

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

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

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

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

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