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Birds are bipedal, warm-blooded, oviparous vertebrates characterized
primarily by feathers, forelimbs modified as wings, and hollow bones.
Birds range in size from the tiny hummingbirds to the huge Ostrich
and Emu. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are about
8,800.10,200 living bird species (plus about 120.130 that have become
extinct in the span of human history) in the world, making them the
most diverse class of terrestrial vertebrates.
Birds are a very differentiated class, with some feeding on nectar,
plants, seeds, insects, rodents, fish, carrion, or other birds. Most
birds are diurnal, or active during the day. Some birds, such as the
owls and nightjars, are nocturnal or crepuscular (active during
twilight hours). Many birds migrate long distances to utilise optimum
habitats (e.g., Arctic Tern) while others spend almost all their time
at sea (e.g. the Wandering Albatross). Some, such as frigatebirds,
stay aloft for days at a time, even sleeping on the wing.
Common characteristics of birds include a bony beak with no teeth,
the laying of hard-shelled eggs, high metabolic rate, and a light
but strong skeleton. Most birds are characterised by flight, though
the ratites are flightless, and several other species, particularly
on islands, have also lost this ability. Flightless birds include the
penguins, ostrich, kiwi, and the extinct Dodo. Flightless species are
vulnerable to extinction when humans or the mammals they introduce
arrive in their habitat. The Great Auk, flightless rails, and the moa
of New Zealand, for example, all became extinct due to human influence.
Birds are among the most extensively studied of all animal groups.
Hundreds of academic journals and thousands of scientists are
devoted to bird research, while amateur enthusiasts (called
birdwatchers or, more commonly, birders) probably number in the
millions.
See also: Posters
Further Research
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Products related to Bird:
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kitchen,
magazines,
music,
photo,
posters,
software,
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noun: bird = warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings. functions: bird, birdwatch; containers: Aves, class Aves; flock; generalisation: vertebrate, craniate; specialisations: dickeybird, dickey-bird, dickybird, dicky-bird; cock; hen; nester; night bird; bird of passage; protoavis; archaeopteryx, archeopteryx, Archaeopteryx lithographica; Sinornis; Ibero-mesornis; archaeornis; ratite, ratite bird, flightless bird; carinate, carinate bird, flying bird; passerine, passeriform bird; nonpasserine bird; bird of prey, raptor, raptorial bird; gallinaceous bird, gallinacean; parrot; cuculiform bird; coraciiform bird; apodiform bird; caprimulgiform bird; piciform bird; trogon; aquatic bird; twitterer; parts: beak, bill, neb, nib, pecker; furcula; feather, plume, plumage; wing; pennon, pinion; bird's foot; uropygium; air sac; uropygial gland, preen gland; syrinx; bird, fowl;
bird, fowl = the flesh of a bird or fowl (wild or domestic) used as food. containers: bird; generalisation: meat; specialisations: poultry; wildfowl; parts: wishbone, wishing bone; drumstick; second joint, thigh; wing; giblet, giblets; oyster; parson's nose, pope's nose; dark meat;
dame, doll, wench, skirt, chick, bird = informal terms for a (young) woman. generalisation: girl, miss, missy, young lady, young woman, fille;
boo, hoot, Bronx cheer, hiss, raspberry, razzing, snort, bird = a cry or noise made to express displeasure or contempt. functions: snort; tease, razz, rag, cod, tantalize, tantalise, bait, taunt, twit, rally, ride; boo, hiss; hiss, sizz, siss, sibilate; hiss, siss, sizz, sibilate; hoot; generalisation: cry, outcry, call, yell, shout, vociferation;
shuttlecock, bird, birdie, shuttle = badminton equipment consisting of a ball of cork or rubber with a crown of feathers. functions: shuttlecock; generalisation: badminton equipment;
verb: bird, birdwatch = watch and study birds in their natural habitat. functions: bird watcher, birder; ornithologist, bird watcher; bird; generalisation: observe;
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