Pets> What are Birds

Text by: Tanya Munshi

We see them everywhere we go, but have we thought of what are birds actually? Not really, so here goes. When you think of a bird, the first thing that comes to your mind is – it has feathers, a beak, two legs and they usually fly and live on trees or bushes. Scientifically speaking, birds belong to the Aves class, and have the following characteristics:

They are bipedal – a form of motion, where birds walk with the help of their hind limbs, as they use their forelimbs i.e. wings to fly.

Birds are warm blooded – like most mammals, birds are warm blooded, where they can control their body temperature by keeping it on a constant level and the ability to change their temperature depending on how hot or cold the climate is.

Birds are known as tetrapod vertebrates – The word Tetrapods is derived from the Greek word tetrapoda and the Latin word quadruped – meaning four-legged. Vertebrate animals are those who have four feet/ legs/ leg-like appendages.

Birds reproduce by laying eggs and can vary in size from as small as the Humming Bird which is as small as 5 cms to the largest bird – Ostrich which is about 2.7 metres.