Birds

A bird can precisely be described as feathered biped. Birds, being warm blooded vertebrates, have a body temperature that is more or less independent of external temperature. Moreover, they have non conducting feathers coated throughout their body to maintain a constant temperature. Feathers also play a role in controlling their flight and are an important means for their identification. Their strength lies hidden in their well-built breastbones and muscles; those though possess air cavities, yet are strong enough to enable them to cross even ocean barriers during migration. This is enhanced by their spindle shaped body and tail acting as radars.Their senses of sight and hearing are so well developed that their eye sight can be changed from that of a telescopic view to that of a microscope in a fraction of seconds. Their nesting habits blend with their aviation habits so that their eggs and young ones always remain protected. Being voracious eaters of insects, nuts and seeds, caterpillars, mice, debris and what not, they form an inevitable link of food webs. Quite often, they carry out clean-ups in our yards. About 8600 species of birds are known to exist in the whole world, with India having the most diverse fauna of birds.