youR bIrd from beak to taIl Scientists believe birds evolved from small meat-eating dinosaurs called theropods Recently found fossils show that some of these creatures from the Cretaceous period had feathers So by getting a bird pal you’re bringing a descendant of a dinosaur into your home Ears Birds have funnel-shaped ears covered with soft feathers Eyes Sight is a bird’s most important sense Birds with eyes on the sides of their head can also see behind them 4 Wings As a bird's wings move down the flight feathers overlap push against the air and lift the bird As the wings move up the feathers spread out letting air pass through Cere The fleshy area above the beak is where the bird’s nostrils are located similar to a human nose Beak Birds don’t have teeth They pick up food with their beak and then grind it up in a special part of their stomach called a gizzard see page 17
Bones Birds have hollow bones If they had solid bones they would be too heavy to fly Brain Although birds have small brains studies suggest they are clever In some tests a parrot did better than a three-year-old child Feathers Birds are the only animals with feathers They are used for warmth flight and display Some are brightly colored or have a special shape Feet Perching birds have four toes three facing forward and one facing back Tail Tail feathers are lighter and stiffer than body feathers Birds use their tails to take off land and steer during flight Some fan their tails for display bIrd facts Birds have ultraviolet UV vision and many birds have markings that reflect UV light which humans cannot see For example male and female birds called blue tits look the same to humans but birds can tell them apart because the feathers on a male blue tit's head reflect UV light There are more than 9,000 species of birds found throughout the world from the frozen shores of Antarctica to tropical rain forests 5
Best bIrds for begInners Birds are intelligent and lovable pets but they can also be demanding It’s important to choose the right feathered friend for your family Most birds need hours of attention every day otherwise they may get bored and start destroying furniture or household items screeching or plucking out their feathers Canaries are perfect if you don’t have much space or time They like to live alone and are bred for their color shape and beautiful song Males are the best songbirds Finches are fast fliers that need plenty of space to exercise Happiest in small groups twittering to each other all day long they are great fun to watch Budgerigars also called parakeets or budgies are friendly and intelligent Spend several hours a day with them if you want them to talk They are happiest in mixed pairs or small groups Doves are quiet gentle and easy to tame They need large cages with UV lighting if indoors and plenty of time to fly free They enjoy being with their owners and other doves 6
Parrotlets are little parrots with big personalities and a powerful bite They are active loving and demanding so spend plenty of time with them or they may get aggressive Cockatiels are playful pets and you can develop a close bond with them These intelligent sociable birds get depressed if left alone so it’s best to get a pair Conures are clever and relaxed Maroon-bellied green-cheeked peach-fronted and dusky-headed conures are the least noisy types Lovebirds are affectionate curious and sometimes aggressive It takes patience to tame them and they are noisy birds One male or a mixed-sex pair make the best pets Cockatoos and large parrots You may be tempted to get a cockatoo or a large parrot such as a macaw but it is not recommended These birds can live for 60 to 90 years and need a lot of care and space If unhappy they may pluck out their feathers destroy everything in reach injure people and screech uncontrollably 7
