Birds are not mammals, they are birds. Unlike mammals, they have no fur or hair – instead, they have feathers, although sometimes they have bristles on their heads or faces that resemble hair. They are not mammals, although they are warm blooded, breathe air, and possess vertebrae, which are other characteristics of mammals. They are not mammals, although some species flock to feed, hunt, raise children, and protect them, as mammals do in herds.
Birds lay exclusively eggs. Some, like chickens, may even lay eggs without a male, but these eggs are sterile. Not a single bird gives birth to living. Many of them strenuously protect their young, but (and this is the main thing) no bird feeds its young with milk, as mammals do.
But don’t pigeons feed their young with milk?
Pigeons and pigeons do not feed their young with milk, although it may seem that they do. Pigeon milk is a substance made up of fat and protein-rich cells that line the parent crop and is a pouch in the throat that stores food before it travels to the rest of the gastrointestinal tract for digestion. Like mammalian milk, it contains not only proteins and fats, but also antioxidants, antibodies and beneficial bacteria. It is even controlled by prolactin, a hormone that controls mammalian lactation.
But plant milk is semi-solid, not liquid, and it is not delivered through the nipples, it does not stand out from the spots, like in the echidna, or in the grooves, like in the platypus. He spits up from his parent onto the pillow. During the first week after hatching, the scab is fed exclusively with vegetable milk. Flamingos and emperor penguins also feed their chicks with something like plant milk. Incidentally, both mother and father produce vegetable milk, which distinguishes them from mammals. Only female mammals produce milk for their young.
How do birds take care of their young?
Chicks are born naked, blind and helpless and need at least one parent to protect, feed and warm them 24 hours a day for a surprisingly long time. For example, a large frigate takes care of its chicks for almost two years.
Squabs are first fed milk from crops, while other chicks are fed soft-bodied insects or bits of other prey, such as small mammals, reptiles, and birds that are smaller than their parents, or part of the parent’s regurgitated meal. Even after some chicks have fledged or started to grow feathers, they will require a parent to feed them for several weeks. Raising some chicks is so laborious that not only do both parents do it, but also resort to the help of their previous brood of chicks.
On the other hand, chicks of forest and bush turkeys are practically independent of birth and do not need parental care at all. Others, like the cuckoo, simply lay their eggs in another bird’s nest and hope that they won’t notice. Interestingly, adoptive parents often do not notice this, and there are many photos of some tiny bird delivering food to a chicken that is already twice its size and has managed to kill all biological offspring.
More Reasons Birds Are Not Mammals
Birds also have wings that most mammals do not. Not every bird can fly. In some cases (like the emu), their wings are rudimentary. The only mammals that have the correct wings are bats. Bats can really outsmart birds because their wings are their hands.
Birds are the only living therapeutic dinosaurs, and many scientists actually consider them to be a type of reptile. They are younger than reptiles or mammals, appearing about 140 million years ago. The asteroid that killed other dinosaurs 60 million years ago allowed birds to diversify into a dazzling array of forms, from the tiniest hummingbird to the 9-foot-high ostrich.
Another thing that distinguishes birds from mammals is their skeletons. Birds have hollow spaces in their bones that allow them to fly, which is why even the tallest ostrich weighs only about 286 pounds, although it has recently stopped flying.
Next: Are owls mammals?
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Are birds endangered?
Like other orders of animals, whether a bird is endangered depends on its species. Some, such as European starlings, not only cause the least concern, but have become aggressive in some places. Others are in critical danger. These include the kakapo, the world’s only flightless parrot that now lives on several islands in New Zealand. The ivory woodpecker of North America is so critically endangered that it could become extinct. About 1,200 bird species are considered endangered due to habitat loss, over-hunting, environmental pollution and other human activities.
How many bird species are there?
Scientists believe there are between 9,800 and 10,758 bird species. This is much more than 6400 existing mammalian species.
What kind of birds are there?
Biologists divide birds into two main groups. They are passerines and not passerines. Sparrow birds are often called songbirds, although birds such as crows and ravens belong to this group. Some argue that it may be more accurate to describe passerines as roosting birds rather than passerines as non-roosting birds, although parrots and birds of prey that do well are considered non-passerines.
Why do birds have feathers?
Feathers and fur are made from the same material – keratin. But feathers are better than fur because they not only keep birds warm and dry, but also allow birds to fly. They also allow them to attract partners in a way that fur does not. In particular, many male birds acquire brightly colored or extravagant mating plumage during mating season. Feathers also allow flocking birds to merge with other members of their flock. Because of this, it is difficult for a predator to single out one individual.
Another interesting feature of feathers is that most blue feathers are blue not because of the pigment, but because of the way light hits them.
Are birds omnivorous, herbivorous or carnivorous?
They are all of the above! Pigeons, adapted to city life, will eat anything, even human trash. It’s the same with seagulls that visit landfills. Birds of prey and seabirds such as skuas are carnivores. Penguins eat fish and other marine life that are small enough to handle. Hummingbirds are sipping nectar. The seeds are eaten by sparrows, parrots, deaf-legged and finches. Toucans, blackbirds, hornbills, tanagers and vireons eat fruit, although some of these same animals eat both fruit and seeds. Interestingly, even herbivorous birds often feed their young worms and insects simply because they need the proteins and fats that food provides.
Are birds dangerous?
Most birds are not as dangerous to humans, although large birds of prey such as harpy eagles have huge claws that can cause injury. An ostrich strike can be fatal, as can a cassowary strike. Found in Australia and New Guinea, this flightless bird has the equivalent of a knife blade on its outer toe and is known to gut creatures it considers dangerous, including humans.
Do all birds migrate?
Not all birds migrate, but those that do can fly thousands of miles to places where they only breed and back to places where they feed and engage in other life activities. If they live in places that are always rich in food and which they find acceptable climate all year round, they usually do not migrate. The Arctic tern has one of the longest migrations of all creatures. Breeds in the Arctic and winters on the coast of Antarctica. Some birds, such as parrots, wander. They will fly long distances in search of food, but will remain in the same habitat and in the same region.
How long do birds live?
Birds can live surprisingly long and, unlike humans, do not age. The Kakapo, an endangered New Zealand parrot, can presumably live up to 100 years. Crows and albatrosses have lived to be 60 years old, and even hummingbirds, with their accelerated metabolism, can live up to 14 years. One rule of thumb is that long-lived birds are larger, have fewer chicks, develop longer, live in trees and on islands.
What do people use birds for?
People use birds for a variety of reasons, both a blessing and a curse. They are used to make meat, eggs and feathers. In fact, ostriches and herons almost became extinct only because milliners wanted to use their feathers to decorate their hats. Guano is used by birds as fertilizer. Many birds are kept as pets, others, such as falcons and cormorants, are used to help humans hunt and fish. They hunt other birds. Sometimes, like a wandering pigeon, they are hunted to extinction. Many people simply watch the birds and set up feeders in the yard to attract them.