Total amazing what birds can do and what makes them special..
The total of discovered bird species is roughly 10,000, but there are some characteristics that are common regardless of what species you’re talking about. Creatures resembling modern birds first appeared 60 million years ago, but they’ve taken many evolutionary turns since then. In most cases, these features remain because they’ve proven to be beneficial across a variety of landscapes and for birds with otherwise unique physiologies.
- Birds developed feathers for the same reason that mammals developed fur: to better regulate their temperature to match external conditions. But feathers also help make flight easier and can even develop as a part of sexual selection. Many birds are missing feathers in notable places, but you won’t find a living bird that doesn’t at least have some feathers. But vultures, turkeys, and kiwis are all notable for their sparse or unusual feather patterns.
- Rheas, cassowaries, and emus are just some birds that can’t fly – but that doesn’t mean they don’t have wings. Wings are a characteristic shared by all birds, and many have become altered to better suit life on land or in the water. The wings of the emu help it keep its balance while running, and penguins have developed appendages that more closely resemble flippers than wings. While some mammals like the flying squirrel are capable of gliding, birds are the only animal capable of true flight.
- All the bones in a bird’s body aren’t hollow, but the primary ones are. This allows their bodies to be lightweight enough to support flight, but many of these bones are reinforced inside to make them far less brittle. These hollow bones have also evolved to accommodate the enormous respiratory needs of birds. Their lungs can expand into their hollow bones when they inhale deeply.
- One thing birds and turtles all have in common is the presence of a beak without teeth. This beak developed millions of years ago as dinosaurs transitioned into birds. It’s believed that the beak developed alongside the growth of brains in birds. The beak developed as a means of protecting this growing gray matter, but today’s birds use their beaks for everything from foraging to self-defense to mating.
Birds have hollow bones that are very light and strong. Their feathers are light and the shape of their wings is perfect for catching the air. Their lungs are great at getting oxygen and very efficient, so they can fly for very long distances without getting tired.
* source – https://a-z-animals.com
Some bird groups
UK
Australia
New Zealand
Global
