What do birds have that other animals don’t? Feathers! Birds’ ability to fly has allowed them to spread throughout the world. Birds lay eggs, are warm blooded, have a light but strong skeleton and a highly efficient respiratory system. The bones of birds are hollow to reduce weight. They are not hollow like a tube, more like a tube with a criss-cross of support columns and diagonal beams. The bone is very strong. In some species, the bones are part of the respiratory system. Air circulates through the bones to help control the body temperature. Bird species have a wide variety of diets. Some eat grasses; others eat insects, small mammals, and even larger mammals. Birds have a variety of colors. Most of the males are very colorful to attract females. In most cases, the female color is fairly drab which allows them to be camouflaged while protecting eggs in the nest.
To learn more about the different types of birds we have at Scovill Zoo, click on the categories below.
