Birds are vertebrates (animals with backbones) with wings and feathers. Most birds can fly, using powerful muscles to flap their wings. Birds’ bodies are covered with a light, tough layer of feathers and they have very light skeletons. Instead of teeth, they have horn-like beaks, or bills.

Facts about Birds!

1. The largest living bird in the world is the Ostrich, which can reach a height of up to 2.7 metres with a wingspan of up to 2 metres (fairly impressive for a bird that can’t fly). It will come as no surprise that the Ostrich also lays the largest bird eggs, weighing in at up to 1.5 kilograms.
2. A bird’s heart beats 400 times per minute while resting and up to 1000 beats per minute while flying.
3. With man made communication methods being unreliable and basic it fell to the humble pigeon to transport thousands of messages from the battle lines at the front. Over 300,000 pigeons were used during both World Wars with 32 being awarded The Dickin Medal – the animal world’s Victoria Cross.
4. An albatross can sleep while it flies. It apparently dozes while cruising at 25 mph.