Birds


 * Characteristics**
 * **Body Structure**
 * **Feathers, wings, beak**
 * **Thin hollow bones**
 * **Large sternum**
 * **Body Function**
 * **Very efficent lungs & air sacs**
 * **Undirectional air flow**
 * **Four chambered heart**
 * **Endotherms (warm blooded)**
 * **Keen eyesight - 8-10x better than humans**
 * **Reproduction**
 * **Internal fertilization**
 * **External development in amniotic egg**
 * **Hatchlings**
 * **Altricial- young hatch without feathers and are dependent on adults; ex) Red-tailed hawk**
 * **Precocial- young hatch fully feathered and follow mother; 10-15 eggs; ex) turkey**
 * **Digestion**
 * **Large variety of diets**
 * **Seeds, nectar, insects, small animals, carrion**
 * **Beaks indicate their diet**
 * **Feathers**
 * **Types**
 * **Flight- for flying**
 * **Contour- covers bird body**
 * **Down- used for insulation**
 * **Males are usually more brightly colored**
 * **Flight Adaptation**
 * **Feathers**
 * **Extremely light (may have evolved from scales)**
 * **No teeth**
 * **Hollow bones**
 * **Sternum allows for attachment of powerful flight muscles**
 * **Flight requires evnergy and efficiency**
 * **Heartbeat pumps blood carrying oxygen to the muscles at 1000 beats/ minute**
 * **Air flow system is unidirectional, making it more efficent**
 * **Bird Taxonomy**
 * **Kingdom: Animalia**
 * **Phylum: Chordata**
 * **Subphylum: Vertebrata**
 * **Class: Aves**
 * **Flightless Birds**
 * **Example: Emperor penguin**
 * **Largest Birds**
 * **Example: Ostrich**
 * **Smallest Bird**
 * **Example: Bec hummingbird**
 * **Birds of Prey: talons and sharp beaks - raptors**
 * **Peregrine Falcon**

A small amount of birds cannot fly even though they have wings. Some flightless birds run around the ground in search of food, while others have adapted to the water and use their wings to swim instead of fly. The Ostrich can measure 2.5 - 2.7 meters in height and can run as fast as a racehorse reaching speeds of 40 miles per hour. The ostrich lives in Africa. []   Some birds only come out at night to hunt and feed. These birds have special adoptions for their nocturnal lives. Owls are the best known night birds, with around 150 species, they are found in moist parts of the world. During the day, Owls rest in tree tops or other habitats where they are difficult to spot as their feathers are colored to blend in with their backgrounds, particularly trees, branches and twigs that they are resting on. []  Around half of all bird species are song birds. These include Sparrows, Thrushes, Warblers, Swallows and Crows. Male song birds sing unique songs when defending their territory. Song birds, are also called Perching Birds, they have grasping feet with 4 toes in which 3 point forward and a larger toe points backwards. []   Wading birds show are all different sizes along with the beak shape and leg length. They breed on land even though their habitats are close to a water source such as lakes, rivers, ponds and wetlands []  The tropical bird is found in tropical climates like the Rainforests. The Tropical birds include the Parrots, Cockatoos, Keas, Lorikeets and Corellos. Parrots are the most lively, inquisitive and intelligent birds in the world. [] 
 * Pictures:**
 * Videos**:

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