The anatomy of birds is different to that of most mammals, in a number of immediately obvious ways. First, they walk on two legs and have two wings. Then, they have feathers instead of hair… and a beak instead of jaws with teeth. They are warm blooded with a normal body temperature of around 40°C, several degrees warmer than most mammals. They also have two eyes and two ears, though these are not normally visible. Most birds have little or no sense of smell.

1. Anatomy of birds
By: Sana Haroon

2. Birds Anatomy

3. Anatomy
The branch of biology which deals with the study of body
structure is called Anatomy
The Anatomy of a Bird The anatomy of birds is
different to that of most mammals, in a number of
immediately obvious ways.
• First, they walk on two legs and have two wings. Then,
they have feathers instead of hair… and a beak instead
of jaws with teeth.

4. But they are also similar to us in some ways.
• They are warm blooded with a normal body temperature
of around 40°C, several degrees warmer than most
mammals. They also have two eyes and two ears,
though these are not normally visible.
• Most birds have little or no sense of smell.

5. Evolution
All birds have the same basic plan.
Though different life styles have
meant that they have evolved
different variations on the central
theme.
Birds such as swans have more
vertebrae in their necks than
those like parrots, who have very
short necks. Swans have 25
vertebrae, parrots have 9.

6.  The basic bird skeleton was inherited
from their reptilian ancestors. The
constraints of flight however have
meant that birds have had to modify it
in several major ways.
 Flight means lifting the birds weight, so
the first major consideration is
reduction in weight. The lighter you are,
the easier it is to fly. The main ways
birds have lost weight is through the
loss of teeth and the large jaw bones
needed to support teeth.

7. External Anatomy Of Birds
Heads
The bird’s head is one of the best places to look for field marks such as eye color,
malar stripes, eyebrows, eye rings, eye lines and auricular patches. The crown (top)
and nape (back) are also key parts of the head that can help identify a bird.

8. External Anatomy Of Birds
Beak
• Vary with diet and foraging habits :
• Seedeaters -thick, crushing beak
• Woodpeckers - heavy, blunt, chiseling beak
• Raptors - sharp-edged, tearing, hooked beak
• Shorebirds - long, delicate, probing beak

9. External Anatomy Of Birds
Tongue
• Tongue non protudable
• Without intrinsic muscles
• Tongue with protudable
• With intrinsic muscles

10. External Anatomy Of Birds
Neck:
Necks are useful for getting
your mouth to places you do
not really want to take your
whole body – like the bottom
of a pond!

11.  Flight Muscles : "The muscles which
helps the birds in flying, known as
flight muscles" These muscles are
attached to the extension of sternum
called keel, also known as breast bone
These flight muscles are attached firmly
to the bird's Skeleton as they generate
the tremendous stresses in the skeleton
when working.
This is missing in certain flightless
birds such as the ratites (Emus and
Ostriches etc.)

12. Foot Types
The most common foot
design: perching feet,
three digits are forward-
facing, while the first
digit (hallux) faces
backward.
The second most common foot formation
among birds: four digits, but two digits
facing forward and two digits facing
backward. This foot is traditionally found
on tree-clinging birds like woodpeckers,
in parrot species and owls.

13. Foot Types
Flamingo: swimming bird
with webbed feet.
Ostrich: walking and
running feet, only two digits.

14. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA