Wing of Birds

 Only a few animals like insects,bats and birds are able to fly and of these three the birds are by far the largest ,fastest and most powerful fliers. The secret of it lies in the design oh the birds' wings.

A birds wing is light,flexible and strong. It is also slightly curved from front to back, producing an profile which literally pulls the bird upwards as it flaps through the air. 

Although the size and shape of wings vary according to a bird's individual lifestyle, all share the same pattern as shown here.

Lesser Coverts- These shape the leading edge, the part of wing which meets the oncoming air.

Main Coverts- These are arranged in rows along with the inner and the outer wing. these form a curved surface to provide lift.

Alula- This group of feathers is held open in slow flight to prevent stalling.

Primary Flight Feathers- The primary flight feathers produce the power for flight as the bird brings its wing downwards. The outer most primaries can be used for steering, like flaps on  a plane's wing.

Secondary Flight Feathers- On the inner wing the Secondary flight feathers form the curve that provides lift.

Tertiary Flight Feathers- These are the innermost flight feathers which shape the wing into the body to prevent turbulence during flight.

Fact: Wings of a bird and arms of a human being have evolved from same type of limb. However, the wing has only three fingers and some of the wrist bones are fused together. In the below picture the corresponding bones are colored the same.

  

Tails of Birds.

During the course of evolution,birds have gradually lost their part of the back-bone that in order animals makes up the tail,and have replaced it with feathers. The size of these feathers is variable. Some birds like Guillemots and Puffins hardly have any tail at all, while others like Peacocks have tails that are so long that they make flight quite difficult.

When a bird comes into land it lowers and spread outs its tail feathers. The feathers act as a brake and slow the bird's approach.


Flight puts many restrictions on a bird's shape.For this reason, birds that spend much time on flying have tails that are lightweight and streamlined. But other birds especially those that live on the ground or in woodland, have been able to evolve tails that are shaped for uses other than flight. Some of these are used for balance,some for perching and others attracting the attention of a mate.

Some example for tails used by various birds are like:

A tail for balance- The central feathers in a magpie's tail are nearly 26cm long. Long tails are normally used for display, but as both male and female magpie's have them, it more likely used for balance on the ground or when clambering on trees.


A magpie balancing on a wire.

A tail for Support- A woodpecker uses its tail to brace itself as it climbs the trunk of a tree. Woodpecker tail feathers are usually stiff so that the can support a large amount of bird's weight. Being subjected to rather rough treatment,the tips of the feather are rapidly wear down.


A woodpecker supporting on its tail.

A tail for display- The tail as in male Black Grouse has crescent-shaped tail feathers while the female has straight. Same in Peacock, the male Peacock has long and extravagant tail feathers rather in female. Differences like this are a sure sign that the tail has evolved this shape for display rather than for flight.


A male Peacock showing courtship.(Up) A male black grouse displaying its tail feathers.(Down)

Forked tails- In some birds, the central tail feathers are the longest. In others particularly many finches, the situation is reversed to give the tail a forked shape. This arrangement probably gives small bird more manoeuvrability.


A forked tail of a Yellow Finch
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History of Birds as Pets.

World's first Bird-pet probably is Jungle Fowl. It is said that about 500 years before people used to keep Jungle Fowl as pets. The first Fowl to be kept as pets are Red Jungle Fowl(Gullus gullus) which is still available in some jungles of various countries like India. This Jungle Fowl is the forefather of all other Chickens in all over the world which consist of more than 200 species of them.

After that comes Pigeons. In old days Pigeons were kept mostly for delivering letters. Regarding this there are various stories in which pigeons carry letters from one place to other. These days too there are some places where Pigeon Races are held.

In Past the Egyptians had taken many Parrots and other species of birds form India, whose main aim was to breed those birds in special made cages. After some days Alexander-the great, during his invasion to India he took some Large Indian Parakeets( Chandana-as known in India) to Greece. Though Alexander died in Iran his soldiers took those parakeets to Greece, which later on gain its fame as Alexandrine Parakeet. This was the first pillar of Parakeets as pets in Europe. Every ship taking spices form India used to take parakeets with them.Then it gain a huge popularity and were kept by nobles throughout the Empire's Anatolian,European and Mediterranean countries.

From very Old Age Indians are popular in keeping Parakeets as their pets. There are many local stories and even in Sankrit books have stories about Parakeets in them. There is a old Story book in India "Suksaptati"--which has a 70 stories and all are told by the help of a Parakeet.

But, birds as pets will be incomplete if we dont take the name of the great Mughal Emperor Jahangir . He had a large aviary where there was not only various Indian Birds but he also owned various birds from other countries. From "Jahangirnama"- a book written by Jahangir, its known that not only kept those birds as pets but he also used to give regular inspection and used to write them carefully. From a artist of Jahangir it is known that his aviary had Vernal Hanging Parrot(Latkan-its Indian name)-Loriculus Vernalis, Crimson Tragopan or Bengal Florican, Blue-Crowned Hanging Parrot- Loriculus Galgulus, and he also had a Dodo- an extinct Bird.

Gradually, not only parakeets, Macaw, Grey Parrot, etc. were kept as pets by rich. But after IInd world war Cage Birds like Budgerigars, Finch, Canary, Java Sparrows, Cockatiel, Love Bird etc. low price birds were kept as pets by ordinary people also.

Like this the birds were kept in cages where they kept on producing new ones. These Birds as pets is not only now a addiction but also a profession for many people around the world.