Ask a Teacher



Write flight adaptation of birds?

Bird wings are concave below and convex above. The air that passes over the top of the wing has more distance to travel and thus it speeds up, causing the pressure to drop because the same amount of air is exerting its pressure over a greater area above the wing than below the wing. This effectively sucks the wing up. Meanwhile the air going below the wing has the opposite effect. It slows down, generates more pressure and effectively pushes the wing up. Hence a bird with air moving over its wings is pulled up from above and pushed up from below.  The low pressure of air on top of the wings represents a sink that the high pressure air under the wing tries to fill.
 Birds have short, light and compact body as compared to other animals.
Most organs and large muscles are located near the center of gravity, which is slightly below and behind the wings to provide better balance during flight.
Contour feathers cover the body and make it streamlined and decrease drag.
Primary feathers are on the wings and are also called remiges, which help in flight and also provide wing shape. Tail feathers are called rectrices which stretch sideways so that tail can be used like a rudder for turning and balancing.
Fusion of bones in birds makes the skeleton light as well as strong. Coracoid, furcula, and scapula form a sturdy tripod for supporting the wings and broad surfaces for the attachment of large flight muscles.

            One key adaptation is the fusing of caudal bones into single pygostyle which supports the tail feathers. Birds have a beak, which is far more lightweight.    

            Birds have uncinate processes on the ribs. These are hooked extensions of bone which help to strengthen the rib cage by overlapping with the rib behind them. Aerodynamic shape of forelimb provides lift and propulsive force.There are about 175 different muscles in the bird. They mainly control the wings, the tail, neck and the legs. The largest muscles in the bird are the muscles that control the wings. They are called the pectorals or the breast muscles, and make up about 15 – 25% of a bird’s full body weight. They make the birds’ wing stroke very powerful so that they can fly.
The respiratory system of birds is adapted to the energy demands of flight. A bird's respiratory system is proportionately larger and much more efficient than in other animals, since flight is a more demanding activity than walking or running.
The flight muscles of most birds are red in color because of the presence of myoglobin and cytochrome. They are also richly supplied with blood and are designed for sustained flight.
Eyes are large, with wide field of view and binocular vision.
Birds have high metabolism and endothermy for quick generation of power and for maintenance of high body temperature. Birds require large amounts of energy for flight, and need efficient oxygen circulation in high altitudes.



comments powered by Disqus