Introduction

We love to watch birds. They fly! From the very start of time we have been looking at them. They do such great things.

Birds take off

Birds soar and dive

Birds twist and turn in the air

Birds land without help on the ground

It has taken man a long, long time to learn about flight. We first tried to do what a bird can do. But we could not.

We had to make a special engine that could move man through the air. The engine had to be powerful but light. We had to be able to fly in a controlled way.

engine

A bird is a wonder. It is a natural flying machine. What is it about a bird?

mallard duck

Everything about a bird is made for flight. We need to look at the parts of a bird. We also need to look at how birds take off, fly and land.

Birds are very special. Birds have feathers. Birds live in a hurry.

swift

Birds are fast. They breathe faster than any other animals. Their heart beats faster. Their body temperature is higher. Birds lay eggs. All birds have wings. But not all birds fly.

Birds play a big role in the balance of nature. Some birds eat seeds. Because of this lots and lots of weeds do not grow on the earth.

We eat eggs from birds. We make pillows and quilts from bird feathers.

We see birds as symbols. The dove for peace. The owl for wisdom.

Looking at a bird is fun. There are many things that make a bird a bird.

Feathers

The first thing we see is a bird's feathers. Feathers make birds special. They are strong and tough. But the feathers are light and move easily.

feather

Feathers do not grow all over a bird. They grow on "feather tracks". In between the feather tracks down feathers grow. Birds need their feathers. A bird takes time to clean them. Birds have lots of feathers. When they wear out new feathers grow. Feathers keep the bird warm.

The shape of the wing helps the bird to fly. The shape is made by the feathers. The tail of the bird is like a rudder. It helps the bird steer. When the bird lands the tail is used as a brake.

Beaks and Feet

The beak of a bird is special. Other animals have a jaw and teeth. Birds get their food with their beak only. Some beaks are long and pointed to spear fish.

bird beaks

bird feet

Internal Structures of a Bird

The insides of a bird are made for the most power and the lightest weight. The biggest flying bird today is the Great Bustard. They weigh 32 pounds and are 4 feet long.

But most birds are smaller. This is the best way to fly. Another way is to use light weight `stuff' to make the bird.

Feathers are light. Birds have less bones. The bones they have are hard but thin. Some birds have bones weighing less than their feathers.

Birds have less muscle. Their bones are "glued" together . This keeps them lighter too.

The biggest muscles a bird needs are its flight muscles. These muscles need to raise the entire body weight into the air.

The eyes of the bird are very strong. Their hearing is also.

Internal Power System

Birds have a natural machine. It helps them with power in lift and take-off. The inside organs of a bird run at high speed. They need to eat "high-octane" foods.

A hummingbird would not live through the night if his heart, breathing and body temperature did not slow down. Oxygen is taken into the body through the lungs. It then passes into the blood cells. In the cells it mixes with the food to make energy.

In birds there are air sacs next to the lungs. They never run out of breath.

The heart is the key for pumping their blood. A bird's heart beats much faster than other animals. A bird's temperature is higher than mans'.

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Last modified: Fri Jul 10 15:17:51 PDT 1998