![](https://web.archive.org/web/20160508160747im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/House_Sparrow_mar08.jpg/300px-House_Sparrow_mar08.jpg)
House sparrow, Passer domesticus
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to birds:
Birds (class Aves) – winged, bipedal, endothermic (warm-blooded), egg-laying, vertebrate animals. There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most varied of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from the 5 cm (2 in) bee hummingbird to the 2.75 m (9 ft) ostrich.
What type of thing is a bird
A bird can be described as all of the following:
- Life form – entity or being that is living or alive.
- Animal – multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia (also called Metazoa). Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their lives. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and independently.
Biological classification
Further information: Biological classification
Nature of birds
Bird anatomy
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20160508160747im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/Birdmorphology.svg/300px-Birdmorphology.svg.png)
External anatomy (topography) of a typical bird: 1 Beak, 2 Head, 3 Iris, 4 Pupil, 5 Mantle, 6 Lesser coverts, 7 Scapulars, 8 Coverts, 9 Tertials, 10 Rump, 11 Primaries, 12 Vent, 13 Thigh, 14 Tibio-tarsal articulation, 15 Tarsus, 16 Feet, 17 Tibia, 18 Belly, 19 Flanks, 20 Breast, 21 Throat, 22 Wattle, 23 Eyestripe
- List of terms used in bird topography
- Beak
- Caruncle
- Comb
- Feathers
- Gape
- Gizzard
- Preen gland
- Syrinx
- Vision
- Uropygial gland
- Wattle
Bird behavior
- Bird colony
- Flight
- Bird migration
- Avian intelligence
- Abnormal behaviour of birds in captivity
- Aggression
- Anting (bird activity)
- Begging behavior in birds
- Bird tracks
- Bird vocalization
- Distraction display
- Feather-plucking
- Fecal sac
- Mobbing
- Moult
- Preening, see Personal grooming
- Bird reproduction
- Feeding
- Vocalization
Types of birds
Orders
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Families
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Subfamilies
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Genera
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History of birds
Study of birds
- Main articles: Ornithology
Main category: Ornithological organizations
- Avian ecology field methods
- Bird collections
- Bird feeding
- Bird ichnology
- Bird observatory
- Bird ringing
- Bird watching
- Oology
Aviculture
Bird diseases and parasites
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Main category: Bird diseases
Threats and conservation
Persons influential in the field of birds
Artists
Main category: Bird artists
Ornithologists
- John Gould
- James Audubon
- Chris Mead
- Killian Mullarney
- Roger Tory Peterson
- Pamela C. Rasmussen
- Alexander Skutch
- David Snow
- Alexander Wilson
Writers
Birds in culture
See also
References
External links
- Ornithology course outline, Alabama School of Math and Science
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