Variety of birds: names, descriptions, habitats

In this article, we want to talk about the extraordinary diversity of birds on Earth. Depending on the classification, there are from 9800 to 10050 modern species of birds. If you think about it, it's an impressive figure.

Origin of birds

Modern science believes that birds originated from ancient reptiles. This is indicated by some common features of the structure with reptiles: dry skin, feathers like scales of reptiles, similarity of embryos, eggs.

I must say that already in the Jurassic period there was an intermediate form between birds and reptiles called archeopteryx. And at the end of the Mesozoic the most real birds appeared. Modern birds have characteristic progressive features that distinguish them from reptiles. These are developed organs of hearing, sight, coordination of movements with certain centers in the cerebral cortex, the emergence of warm-bloodedness, as a result of changes in the nervous and respiratory systems, the presence of a four-chambered heart and spongy lungs.

Variety of birds

Now the bird world is very diverse. It is customary to divide all birds in three orders:

1. The Beskylovs. Most of the representatives of this group have poorly developed wings. Such birds do not fly, but they can quickly and well run. A striking example is the African ostrich, which lives in savannas, semi-deserts and steppes of Africa, in Australia and South America.
2. Penguins. This group is very few. Its representatives live mainly in the Southern Hemisphere on the shores of Antarctica. These birds also do not know how to fly, but they swim well. Their forelimbs are modified into fins. On the ice, penguins move in a vertical position, sliding and leaning on the tail. Interestingly, they do not build nests. They store the egg on the membranes of the extremities, hiding them under the folds of fat on the tummy. In general, a large fat layer protects penguins from the cold.
3. Kiel. This group is very numerous. It includes more than twenty orders. These are passerine-like, chicken-like, anseriform, falconiform, woodpecker, etc.

Within the framework of the article, we want to show the diversity of birds on specific examples of some representatives of the feathered world, since it is simply impossible to talk about all.

Ostrich

The African ostrich is the largest bird on Earth. Previously, they were related to other related species, nandu and emu. However, modern researchers refer them to separate detachments. Therefore now from the scientific point of view there is only one real ostrich - African.

The first thing that surprises the bird is its huge size. In height, it is no less than a large horse. The height of the ostrich varies from 1.8 to 2.7 meters, and the weight reaches 75 kg. There are also such large males that weigh up to 131 kilograms. Naturally, most of the growth falls on the neck and legs. And the bird's head, on the contrary, is very small, even less is the ostrich's brain, which affects the intelligence of birds.

Feathers in birds grow evenly throughout the body, and in fact, in most birds they are located on special lines called pterilias. African ostriches lack a keel, and therefore they are not adapted to flight at all. But their legs are excellent at running. The bird has very long paws and strongly developed leg musculature. On each leg there are only two fingers. One huge size with a claw, another smaller one. The second finger helps to maintain balance during running.

On the trunk, tail and wings of the bird there are many feathers, but the head, neck and legs have only short down, it seems that they are bare. The females and males of the African ostrich differ in the coloring of the plumage. In addition, different species can have different coloring of the legs and beak.

The habitat of the African ostrich

The African ostrich lives almost all over Africa, it can not be found only in the Sahara and North Africa. There was a time when this bird lived on the lands adjacent to the African continent, in Syria and on the Arabian Peninsula.

In general, ostriches prefer open plains. They inhabit dry woodlands, grassy savannahs, semi-deserts. But dense thickets, swampy terrain, quicksand of deserts, they do not like. This is due to the fact that there they can not develop a great speed during the run. They lead a sedentary life, uniting into small groups. Very rarely a flock can include up to 50 individuals, and they can graze together with antelopes and zebras. In the pack there is no permanence, but a clear hierarchy reigns. High-ranking individuals hold the tail and neck vertically, and weaker representatives are inclined. Activity of the bird is shown at dusk, and at night and during the daytime heat they rest.

Ostriches on the one hand are stupid, and on the other - extremely cautious. During the meal, they constantly look around, examining the neighborhood. Noticing the enemy, they quickly disappear, not wanting to face the predator. They have very good eyesight. They are able to notice the enemy per kilometer. Many animals follow the behavior of the ostrich, if they themselves do not have such a good view. The ostrich can reach speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour, and in very rare cases up to 90 kilometers per hour.

Sparrow

Speaking about the variety of birds on the planet, we will move from the largest representative to one of the smallest ones - to a sparrow. For us, this bird is familiar from childhood. A sparrow is a bird that is widely distributed in cities and towns. It is small in size, weighing from 20 to 35 grams. The bird is part of a detachment of flies, in which, in addition to it, there are more than 5000 species. The largest representative of this group is the crow, and the smallest is the king.

A sparrow is a bird, which got its name back in antiquity. And it is connected with the fact that birds like to make raids on farm fields. Stripping them, people shouted "thief beat."

In Russia, there are two species of sparrows: house (urban) and rustic. Interesting is the fact that this species of birds has a special eye structure, and the whole world sees these birds in pink. For a day a sparrow consumes a significant amount of energy, and therefore can not go hungry more than two days.

House Sparrow

Birds have a brown feather with longitudinal black strips. The length does not exceed seventeen centimeters, and weigh not more than 35 grams. Imagine, the world of birds is so diverse and rich that only a house sparrow has more than 16 species. Once this bird lived only in Northern Europe. But then gradually the sparrows settled almost on all continents, except for the Arctic. Now they can be seen even in South Africa, America, Australia, where they were brought in the early twentieth century.

It should be noted that sparrows always settle near a person, and lead a settled existence. And only birds living in more northern regions fly away for the winter to warmer regions.

Sparrows are eternal companions of man. They are very prolific. The basis of their nutrition is plant food. But the insects catch birds for their chicks. In villages, birds fly to the fields to pick up seeds. Sometimes sparrows peck fruits and berries in orchards, causing damage to people.

For one summer they can breed two or even three generations of offspring.

Stork

A stork is an extraordinary bird. It has long been a symbol of peace on earth. The white bird is so beautiful and graceful that many songs and poems are composed about it. The family of storks is represented by twelve species. These are large enough individuals. In the adult state they reach a meter in height, and the wingspan is two meters. All storks have long legs, neck and beak.

They are distributed almost on all continents. They live not only in the tropics, but also in temperate latitudes. Those individuals that live in a warm climate do not fly away for the winter, while the rest make flights to Africa and India. Birds live till the age of twenty.

The most famous species is the white stork. Poultry on Earth have been inhabited since ancient times, as evidenced by the findings of archaeologists. This species is considered to be practically dumb, since it has no developed vocal cords.

Storks are famous for their stamina, because they are able to make very long flights.

The way of life and feeding of a bird depends on the habitat. The white stork prefers low places with meadows and swamps. Sometimes they settle on the roofs of houses, making nests there. They feed on food of animal origin: lizards, frogs, insects, small mice. A stork is a beautiful and noble bird.

Swans

The swan is a white bird, conquering all with its beauty and grandeur. A small group of famous birds includes 7 species. In general, swans belong to the family of ducks, and their closest relatives are goose and geese.

Swans are the largest waterfowl of wild birds. Weight reaches eight kilograms. Birds have a very long and flexible neck, and each species is characterized by its special setting. The paws of the birds are quite short and equipped with special membranes. On land, their gait seems very awkward. The oil gland of the birds secrete a special lubricant, due to which the feathers do not get wet in the water.

All swans have the same coloring - white, and only the black swan is different from them.

They live in South and North America, Eurasia and Australia. They usually settle on the banks of water bodies, and this can be small lakes, and huge water spaces, like estuaries or bays.

All swans can be conditionally divided into southern and northern swans. The southern lead a sedentary life, and the northern one must fly away for the winter. Eurasian individuals winter in South and Central Asia, and American winter time is spent in California and in Florida.

Birds usually live in pairs. They have a quiet and calm disposition. The voices of the birds are sufficiently sonorous, but they rarely give sounds, but the mute swan can only hiss in case of danger.

As a food birds use kidneys, seeds, roots of aquatic plants, grass and small aquatic invertebrates. They find food in the water, deeply immersing their head. But do not know how to dive.

Hummingbird

We talked about the fact that the African ostrich is the biggest bird. And the smallest is a hummingbird. This Cuban bird is not only the smallest in the world, but also the smallest warm-blooded creature on Earth. The male has a length of not more than five centimeters, and by weight it is not heavier than two clerical clips. But females are a bit large. The very name itself says that these birds are not more than a bee.

The smallest bird is a very fast and strong creature. Brilliant wings make it look like a jewel. However, its color is not always visible, it all depends on the viewing angle.

Despite the tiny size, the bird plays an important role in the reproduction of plants. She flies from flower to flower and collects nectar with her thin proboscis, while simultaneously transferring the pollen from the flower to the flower. For one day a small bee visits up to one and a half thousand flowers.

Hummingbirds build for themselves cup-shaped nests no more than 2.5 centimeters in diameter. They are weaving from the bark, lichens and cobwebs. In them, the bird lays two small eggs the size of a pea.

Forest birds

Here, where you can evaluate the present variety of birds, so it is in the forest. After all, it is home to many birds. At any time of the year, one can find here an extraordinary number of them. Here wild birds wind their nests, find their food and bring out the fledglings. Thick greens reliably protect birds from enemies and bad weather. Walking through the forest, you can hear the most diverse voices of birds, we do not see them, but we hear their beautiful singing or "ku-ku", familiar from childhood.

What kind of birds live in our forests? The world of birds in them is so rich that it is difficult to enumerate all species. Let us recall only the most famous: hazel grouse, woodpeckers, nutcrackers, swifts, owls, nightingales, black grouse, owls, cuckoos, golden eagles, lentils, nutcrackers, koroloks, flycatchers, tits, hawks, Birds of the forest have adapted to dwelling in forest thickets. Each of the species inhabits certain areas of the country, in specific places. Interesting is the fact that absolutely all the birds of the forest live together on one territory, and in fact among them there are both formidable predators, and quite harmless, and very small birds. Just an amazing combination.

Kingfisher

An ordinary kingfisher is a small bird with bright feathers. The color of the feathers changes from the dark blue back to the bright orange abdomen. The beak of a kingfisher is the most ordinary: long and straight. Female are smaller than males. Poultry are littered along the coast of rivers, ponds, lakes, streams. In general, in those places where there is a quiet, running water.

But the nests are on the steep banks among the thickets of the bush. Kingfishers quite well feel themselves in the mountains, sometimes settling there.

In pairs, birds are united only during the mating season. On the territory of Russia it is approximately the second half of April, just after the return from warm countries. Nests of females and males are pulled out by beaks, discarding the soil with paws. Mink, as a rule, is located near the water and well camouflaged by branches.

Amazing is the fact that kingfishers return to their house for several seasons. Inside there is no such nest, eggs lay directly on the ground. Rarely there is any litter. Usually the female lays five to seven eggs, and sometimes ten eggs. Incubate each other in turn, female and male.

Among kingfishers there are both migratory and sedentary populations. They are distributed in Eurasia, in Indonesia and in north-west Africa, in New Zealand.

Kingfishers settle only near clean water bodies, so they can be judged on their degree of purity.

On the example of these birds, one can judge their diversity. All of them differ from each other not only externally, but also in a way of life and habits, nevertheless belong all to the same suborder.