Adaptations Of Birds (1972)

[Music] bird live all over the world in many kinds of places or habitats they have developed special abilities called adaptations for surviving in these habitats some birds live in or near the water how are they fitted for this habitat other birds spend much time in the air what adaptations for life in the air do they have how about birds that live in Meadows and grasslands how are they suited for life on the ground and many different birds live in the trees most like this Robin build their nests in trees or shrubs what adaptations fit them for life here one adaptation is seen in the feet the Robin has feet specially suited for perching on tree branches like this mounted model all perching birds have three front toes and one longer rear toe the model shows another adaptation of most tree Birds the wing shape compared to the body the wings are short and Broad this type of wing allows the bird to quickly change directions in flight through trees an adaptation that helps it Escape larger hunting birds birds usually have bills adapted for the types of food they eat many tree birds eat insects found in the forest they have sharp pointed bills used to pluck insects from the leaves or bark one kind of tree bird the Woodpecker eats boring insects found in the bark of trees its sharp chisel-like bill is well adapted for chiseling beneath the bark the Woodpecker hacks holes in the wood with its strong bill then extends its Barbed tongue to spear the food it also chisels out a nest with its bill by chipping a deep gourd shaped hole in the tree trunk unlike the perching Birds the Woodpecker climbs up and down the vertical trunk in its search for insects the feet are an adaptation for its way of life two front toes and two rear toes give the Woodpecker support as it climbs the stiff tail feathers pressing against the trunk are a brace countering the powerful blows of the bill there are many birds though which do not live in trees some live mostly on the ground these ground birds are adapted to live in a habitat of grasses and bushes they usually eat grain wild berries insects and the seeds of wild grasses that grow on the ground many ground Birds also build their nests of grass and weeds right on the ground the seed eating birds have short blunt bills that can easily crack open the seeds the bill is an adaptation for food getting another adaptation of many ground Birds is strong feet and legs well suited for walking over the ground often these birds have short powerful Wings this type of wing protects the ground bird from its enemies by helping it to take off quickly but this ground bird can't fly how is it adapted for living on the open Plains its legs and feet these long powerful legs and feet can be used as weapons and enable the ostrich to escape its enemies by running as fast as 50 m hour in addition to tree birds and ground Birds there are a few birds that spend long periods of time in the air on a wide ranging search for food below these are the hunting birds such as the hawk they eat other animals like mice fish and small birds birds that hunt Predators have strong hooked bills used to tear the food large muscular legs and sharp curved Talons with these they are able to grasp and kill small animals these predator birds of the air usually have large broad Wings adapted for soaring and swooping down on their prey they often make rough nests of twigs and branches high in the top of a tree or on a cliff with a commanding view of the land below but other bird habitats for example may be near water about 70% of the earth's surface is water vast oceans lakes rivers swamps streams near small streams lives the king fisher a water bird it is a fish Hunter the long sharp bill is well adapted for spearing fish the king fisher Waits patiently for a fish to come close to the surface of the water then Dives down for its meal some water birds are adapted for Life along the shores they have long legs for waiting in the shallow water and long toes which spread out for support on the soft bottoms of swamps or other Woodlands this Heron has another adaptation of many waiting Birds a long neck which it can extend with lightning speed to capture fish like the king fisher it has a long pointed Bill SU suited for spearing fish The Blue Heron usually builds its nest of sticks high up in a tree near the water many water birds like these Mard Ducks spend most of their time in the water the malard eats algae water insects wild rice and pond weeds all found in the water it has a broad flat bill which is useful in holding and straining food from the water the mallard's feet are well fitted for swimming instead of the long separate toes of the waiting Birds it has paddle-like webbed feet with short legs another water bird the seagull also has webbed feet adapted for swimming but it has a different kind of Bill it has a narrow hooked bill adapted for tearing dead fish or other creatures the gull is a hunter of fish and a scavenger it can swoop down and with its long Bill pluck fish from the water surface the long slender wings of many waterb birds permit them to Glide long periods of time in the air while searching for food in the sea below another waterb bird the penguin lives near the South Pole in Antarctic regions with stubby Wings it is incapable of flight on land its short legs and webbed feet make it very clumsy yet the penguin is marvelously adapted for its usual habitat the water the penguin seems almost to fly underwater using its paddle like wings water is only one of the various habitats birds are suited for many spend most of their time soaring in the air walking on the ground or perching in trees and in each habitat they usually have different adaptations they build different kinds of nests they have different kinds of bills different kinds of feet and different kinds of [Music] wings these adaptations fit the different birds for life and their particular habitats and help them to [Music] survive