Portal:Birds

Birds are amazing creatures that can be found all around the world. They have special body parts that allow them to fly through the air, like wings and strong muscles. There are more than 10,000 different kinds of birds, ranging from tiny hummingbirds to large eagles. Birds are important because they help spread seeds and control the numbers of insects, which keeps ecosystems healthy.

Many birds are also known for their beautiful songs and colorful feathers. Some birds, like penguins, cannot fly but are excellent swimmers. Others, such as owls, have special eyes that help them see in the dark. Birds have played important roles in many cultures and stories throughout history.

Studying birds helps scientists learn about the environment and how animals adapt to different places and climates. Whether you see a bird in your backyard or read about one in a book, birds are fascinating and important parts of nature.

The Birds Portal

Birds are warm-blooded vertebrate theropod dinosaurs that make up the class Aves. They are known for having feathers, beaked jaws without teeth, and laying hard-shelled eggs. Birds come in all sizes, from the tiny 5.5 cm (2.2 in) bee hummingbird to the large 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) common ostrich. There are over 11,000 different kinds of birds, with most being passerine or "perching" birds.

Birds evolved from earlier theropods and are the only living dinosaurs. They first appeared during the Late Jurassic and became more diverse after the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event. Many birds live together in groups and communicate through calls and songs. They often mate for one breeding season and take care of their young after they hatch. Birds are important to humans for food, feathers, and as pets, and many people enjoy watching birds in nature. Unfortunately, human activity has caused some bird species to go extinct, but efforts are being made to protect them.

Main articles:

• Outline of birds
• Ornithology

Featured articles

The red-throated wryneck (Jynx ruficollis), also known as the rufous-necked wryneck or red-breasted wryneck, is a species of wryneck in the woodpecker family. It lives in much of sub-Saharan Africa in open areas with some trees. This bird is slim and about 19 cm (7.5 in) long, with intricate grey and brown patterns. Adults and young mainly eat ants. When threatened, it twists its neck like a snake and hisses to scare off predators. The red-throated wryneck nests in old holes in trees, laying three or four eggs. Both parents take care of the chicks until they can fly. This bird has a large and growing population, so it is considered not at risk.

The Eurasian treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) is a small bird also called the common treecreeper. It has a curved bill and patterned brown and white feathers. It lives in woodlands across Europe and Asia, climbing tree trunks to find insects. The female lays five or six eggs in a nest in a tree crevice. Both parents help feed the chicks. This bird is solitary in winter but may roost in groups in cold weather.

The great auk (Pinguinus impennis) was a large, flightless bird that lived about 400,000 years ago but disappeared in the mid-1800s. It was about 75 cm (29.5 in) tall and weighed about 5 kilograms (11 pounds). Great auks had black backs and white bellies, and they were strong swimmers who ate fish. They nested in large groups on rocky islands, with each pair laying one egg. Both parents helped take care of the chick until it could leave the nest.

The black currawong (Strepera fuliginosa) is a large crow-like bird found only in Tasmania and nearby islands. It has yellow eyes, a heavy bill, and black feathers with white patches on its wings. This bird lives in forests and eats berries, insects, and small animals. It builds nests in trees and is known for its clear calls.

The cattle egrets are white birds often seen near farms, where they eat insects disturbed by cattle. They nest in colonies near water and are found in many warm parts of the world. These birds have special feathers during breeding season and help cattle by eating pests like ticks and flies.

The Australian boobook (Ninox boobook) is a small owl found in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands. It has dark brown feathers with pale spots and hunts insects and small animals at night. This owl lays its eggs in tree hollows and is considered not at risk due to its wide range and stable population.

The rufous-crowned sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps) is a small bird found in the Southwestern United States and Mexico. It has a brown back, gray face, and a rufous crown. These sparrows eat seeds in winter and insects in summer, and they build well-hidden cup-shaped nests. They are generally not at risk, though some populations face threats from habitat loss.

Selected general bird topic

The evolution of birds began during the Jurassic Period, originating from a group of theropod dinosaurs called Paraves. Birds are classified scientifically as Aves, a biological class. For many years, the dinosaur Archaeopteryx was thought to be the earliest bird, but scientists now understand that birds evolved from within the theropod dinosaurs.

Four main groups of birds survived a major event 66 million years ago, known as the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction. These groups gave rise to modern birds such as ostriches, waterfowl, chickens, and many other varieties we see today.

Selected taxon

Elegant crested tinamou (Eudromia elegans)

Tinamous are birds found in Mexico, Central America, and South America. They belong to the order Tinamiformes and family Tinamidae, and there are 46 different species. Tinamous can fly, unlike some related birds called ratites. They live in many types of environments, from dry grasslands to tropical rainforests.

These birds are usually quiet and hide when they sense danger. They eat many things, including fruits, seeds, worms, and insects. During breeding time, males take care of the nests while females visit different males and lay eggs in their nests. The babies can walk shortly after hatching and become independent after about three weeks.

Topics

Birds are fascinating creatures with many interesting aspects. You can learn about their anatomy, such as their skeleton, flight, eggs, feathers, and plumage.

You can also explore how birds evolve, including topics like Archaeopteryx, hybridisation, fossils, and taxonomy. Their behaviour includes singing, intelligence, migration, reproduction, nesting, incubation, and brood parasites. There are many different groups of birds, called orders, such as Struthioniformes, Tinamiformes, Anseriformes, and Passeriformes, among others. You can also find lists of birds and learn about how birds interact with humans, including ornithology, birdwatching, birdfeeding, conservation, and aviculture.

Quotes

W. H. Hudson once wrote beautifully about birds. You can find more inspiring quotes about birds to explore their wonderful presence in nature.

Resources

There are many great online resources for learning about birds. SORA lets you search through old issues of bird science journals like The Auk and The Condor. For birds in New Zealand, check out Notornis, the journal of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand.

You can also visit BirdLife International for information about bird species around the world. In the United States, Birds of North America offers detailed facts about birds found there.

WikiProjects

The WikiProject Birds is part of several groups working together to improve information about birds and related topics. Other related groups include WikiProject Science, WikiProject History of Science, WikiProject Tree of Life, WikiProject Biology, WikiProject Ecology, and WikiProject Extinction. These groups help make sure the information about birds and nature is accurate and easy to understand.

Selected images

Here are some beautiful birds and interesting facts about them:

• Double-crested cormorant: A bird often seen near water.
• Red-crested pochard: A diving duck that lives in marshes and lakes in Europe and Asia.
• Red-footed booby: A bird known for its bright red feet.
• Double-banded plover: A bird from New Zealand with two dark bands on its chest.
• Red-backed shrike: A bird that eats insects and small animals, known for impaling its food.
• Gentoo penguin: A penguin with a white stripe on its head and a bright orange bill.
• Laughing Kookaburra: A bird famous for its laughing call, found in Australia.
• Giant kingfisher: A large bird that catches fish and other prey.
• Canada Goose: A large goose found across North America and parts of Europe and Asia.
• Red-headed Finch: A small finch with a bright red head, common in Africa.
• White-rumped Shama: A small songbird from South and Southeast Asia.
• Willet: A large shorebird with gray legs and a long, straight bill.
• Wandering albatross: One of the largest seabirds, found around Antarctica.
• Cuban green woodpecker: A small woodpecker endemic to Cuba.
• White-breasted nuthatch: A small bird that climbs trees looking for food.
• Feathers: Special coverings that make birds unique and help them fly.
• Vervain hummingbird: One of the smallest birds in the world, found in Jamaica.
• Prothonotary warbler: A small songbird that lives in wooded areas.
• Red crossbill: A finch with a crossed bill, good at eating seeds.
• Nazca Booby: A booby bird from the Galápagos Islands.
• Common kingfisher: A small bird that dives into water to catch fish.
• Greylag goose: A type of goose found in many parts of the world.

More selected pictures

Selected bird anatomy topic

The uncinate processes of the ribs are special bony hooks that stick out from the ribs of many birds and some other animals. They help muscles attach and make the rib cage stronger, which is important for flying. These hooks are longer in birds that dive and shorter in birds that walk. Most birds have them, but a special group called screamers do not.

Scientists have also found similar structures in some ancient creatures and even in crocodiles, though in crocodiles they are made of cartilage instead of bone. These processes play a role in helping birds breathe better when they fly. Full article...

Selected species

The mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) is a member of the dove family Columbidae. It is also called the American mourning dove and was formerly known as the Carolina pigeon or Carolina turtledove. These birds live from Central America to southern Canada, including islands offshore. In colder northern areas, they migrate south for the winter. They can be found in many different places, including farms and cities, and are very common, with about 130 million of them. People often hunt mourning doves for sport and food. Their soft, plaintive call, like woo-oo-oo-oo, and the whistling sound of their wings are easy to recognize. They can fly very fast, up to 88 km/h (55 mph).

Mourning doves are light grey and brown, and males and females look alike. They usually have one mate and together care for their young, called squabs. Each time they nest, they have two squabs. They can have many nests each year – up to six in warmer places. These birds mainly eat seeds from many kinds of plants, both native and introduced.

Did you know

Did you know that the blue-throated piping-guan is a South American bird similar to a turkey? Another interesting fact is that the tiny hawk, a raptor found in the Neotropics, can hunt hummingbirds even though it is only eight inches tall. Also, the blue-faced honeyeater from Australia is called the "bananabird" because it loves to eat bananas.

Categories

Birds come in many different forms and live all around the world. You can learn about birds by their age, how they were first described by scientists, their classifications, and their common names. There are also categories for birds based on where they live, their adaptations, and their behavior.

There are many interesting topics to explore, such as bird anatomy, colours, conservation efforts, and ecology. You can also discover information about flightless birds, bird hybrids, and even birds that help humans in various ways. These categories help organize the many fascinating facts about birds for easy learning.

Main articles: Birds by age, Birds by century of formal description, Birds by classification, Birds by common name, Birds by adaptation, Birds by location, Individual birds, Lists of birds, Birds and humans, Bird anatomy, Bird behavior, Bird colours, Bird conservation, Bird ecology, Evolution of birds, Flightless birds, Hybridisation in birds, Images of birds, Introduced birds, Bird mortality, Bird common names, Bird taxonomy, Working birds, Bird redirects, Bird stubs

Related portals

Here are some portals related to birds and nature: Biology, Ecology, and Dinosaurs. These topics explore the science of living things, how plants and animals interact with their environment, and the ancient creatures that lived long ago.

Things you can do

Create requested articles (WikiProject Birds – Article requests):

• Attend to bird articles needing attention

Do these tasks:

More outstanding tasks at the project's cleanup listing, Category:Birds articles needing attention, and Wikipedia:WikiProject Birds/Todo.

Taxonomy of Aves

Birds, scientifically known as Aves, are a group of feathered, winged vertebrates. They are part of the larger family of dinosaurs and are descendants of theropod dinosaurs from the Jurassic period. Today, there are around 10,000 species of birds living worldwide, each adapted to different environments and diets.

Birds share common features such as feathers, beaks, and laying hard-shelled eggs. They also have unique adaptations like hollow bones, which help them fly, and a high metabolism that supports their active lifestyles. The study of birds, called ornithology, helps scientists understand their roles in ecosystems and their evolutionary history Ornithology.

Associated Wikimedia

The Wikimedia Foundation has many sister projects that offer more information about birds. You can explore Commons for free images, Wikibooks for textbooks, and Wikidata for facts and knowledge. Other projects like Wikinews, Wikiquote, Wikisource, Wikispecies, Wikiversity, Wikivoyage, and Wiktionary also offer different types of content about birds.