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Bird Characteristics Birds are warm-blooded animals that hatch their young from eggs that have a hard shell. They are covered with some type of feathers. Not all birds can fly, but they all have some kind of wings. The true flightless birds are called Raptors. An Ostrich is an example of a Raptor. Some birds do not fly in the air, but they "fly" through water. Penguins are good examples of birds whose wings are used to swim through water instead of through air. Most birds take care of the unhatched egg by keeping it warm and turning the egg during its incubation period. A few bird species trick another bird parent into incubating its eggs for them by laying the eggs in another species’ nest. The female of many bird species sits on the eggs, but in some species it is the male that does the sitting. Adaptations The body parts of birds show the adaptations to their environment and/or the way they get food. Predator birds, such as eagles, have very good eyesight and the eyes face the front of the head for 3-D vision. They have sharp beaks to tear flesh and sharp claws for grabbing prey. Scavenger birds, such as vultures, have bare heads so the rotten meat they eat will not get their feathers dirty. Birds that catch fish may have streamlined bodies that can dive into the water, strong sharp claws for grabbing fish, and sharp beaks for tearing the meat. Other fish eating birds, such as storks, have long, skinny legs for wading and long skinny bills for spearing the fish. Birds of the duck and geese species have wide webbed feet to help them swim and wide bills to help them scoop up plants from the bottom of ponds. Fruit-eating birds and seed-eating birds, such as parrots and cardinals, often have short, strong beaks. Birds that roost in tree branches have feet that easily curl around the tree limbs. Birds that live in snowy places have downy feathers on the feet. Birds also have adapted in ways to attract a mate. Usually the male of the species is colorful and the female is plain. The colorful male may have a bright body part he displays to attract the attention of a future mate. The female is usually a dull color to help protect the young in the nest. Songs are also used to attract a mate or to mark territory. Nesting Habits Nesting habits of birds are different, too. Some birds roost in trees in nests of twigs, grass, straw, etc. Other birds use holes in the tree. Some birds make nests on the ground, or even on bare rocks. Some birds dig out holes in the sides of cliffs, and others make nests among water plants. One of the most unusual "nests" is that of the penguin. The male holds the egg on the top of its feet through the worst of the Antarctic winter while the female goes off to fill up on fish. The Aves branch of the animal kingdom includes many different species of birds with many different adaptations. From hawk to parakeet, we find them beautiful and interesting. They are important to man as a source of food, as pets, and as important part of the food chain. They add beauty to our world with the variety of their colors, songs, and shapes.
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