Animals: Birds Chapter Notes | Science Class 3 ICSE PDF Download

Introduction

Common Indian Birds

• Birds live in various habitats suited to their needs.
• A habitat is a specific place where a particular species lives.
• Common birds around houses include sparrow, crow, pigeon, mynah, tailorbird, parrot, and koel.
• Forest birds include wild dove, yellow-footed green pigeon, peafowl, and red-headed trogon.

Body Parts of a Bird

• Birds have a streamlined body for flying.
• Main body parts include head, beak, eyes, wings, legs, feet, and tail.
• Feet have claws for catching and holding objects.
• Soft, fluffy feathers cover their body.
• Birds lack teeth; they use beaks instead.
• Beaks have two holes called nares for breathing.
• Light, hollow bones filled with air help birds fly.
• Strong flight muscles attached to wings enable up-and-down movement.

Beak

• Beak is the hard, pointed, or curved part of a bird’s mouth, also called a bill or rostrum.
• Used for catching and eating food, feeding young, building nests, and preening (cleaning feathers).
• Different beak types suit different food habits.

Kinds of Beaks

• Strong, short, and hard beaks: Found in birds like pigeon, sparrow, and peacock; used to bite and crack nuts and seeds.
• Strong, sharp, and hooked beaks: Found in birds of prey like eagle, vulture, and hawk; used to catch, kill, and tear prey into small pieces.
• Strong and chisel-shaped beaks: Found in woodpecker and hoopoe; used to make holes in tree trunks and pull out insects.
• Curved beaks: Found in parrots; used to crack seeds, nuts, eat fruit pulp, and climb trees.
• Broad and short beaks: Found in swallows; sticky inside to catch small flies and insects while flying.
• Long and pointed beaks: Found in hummingbird, sunbird, heron, and kingfisher; used to suck nectar or pick fish from water.
• Broad and flat beaks: Found in duck, swan, and goose; have tiny holes to filter muddy water, keeping insects and plants inside.

Feet and Claws

• Birds have two feet with four toes each, aiding in walking, hopping, running, swimming, climbing, and perching.
• Claws are long, curved nails for catching food, perching, and protection from enemies.

Kinds of Feet and Claws

• Perching birds: Crow, sparrow, parrot, and mynah have long, slender claws with three toes in front and one at the back; help grip branches firmly, even while sleeping.
• Flesh-eating birds: Eagle, vulture, and hawk have strong, sharp, hooked claws called talons; used to catch and hold prey like mice, rats, and toads.
• Scratching birds: Hen has strong feet with three toes in front and one at the back; sharp claws for scratching ground to find seeds and worms.
• Wading birds: Heron and crane have long, slender legs with thin, spread-out toes; help walk on mud in shallow water without sinking.
• Swimming birds: Duck and swan have webbed feet with three front toes joined by skin; act like paddles for swimming and walking on mud.

Feathers

• Feathers cover a bird’s body and wings, keeping them warm and aiding in camouflage.
• Camouflage helps birds blend with surroundings to avoid detection.

Types of Feathers

• Body feathers: Small, strong, light feathers covering body, wings, and tail; give color and smooth shape.
• Down feathers: Soft, fluffy feathers under body feathers; keep the bird warm.
• Flight feathers: Long, flat feathers on wings and tail; wing feathers aid flapping, tail feathers help change direction during flight.
• Birds bathe and preen to keep feathers clean and in shape.

How Birds Fly

• Wings with feathers help birds fly up and down.
• Strong flight muscles enable wing flapping in upstroke (lifted up and backward) and downstroke (pushed down and forward).
• Upstroke and downstroke lift the bird into the air.
• Tail feathers help change flight direction.
• Most birds like pigeon, crow, hen, and vulture can fly.
• Flightless birds like emu, ostrich, kiwi, and penguin have heavy bodies and cannot fly.

Food Habits

• Birds eat various foods like fruits, grains, seeds, nuts, flesh, and insects, depending on their beaks and claws.
• Sparrows and parrots use curved beaks to crack seeds and nuts.
• Eagles and hawks use sharp, hooked beaks to kill and eat prey.
• Woodpeckers use chisel-shaped beaks to extract insects from tree trunks.
• Sunbirds and hummingbirds use long beaks to suck nectar from flowers.

Nesting Habits of Birds

• Birds build nests to lay eggs, hatch them, and raise young in safe, hidden places like rooftops, old buildings, poles, and tree hollows.
• Nests protect eggs from enemies and bad weather, preventing them from falling.
• Materials used include leaves, twigs, grass, feathers, wool, cotton, rags, mud, and pebbles.
• Different birds build nests of varying sizes, shapes, locations, and materials.

Interesting Nests of Some Birds

• Pendant nests of weaver bird: Woven using straw, twigs, and grass; hang from tree branches with a tunnel-like opening at the bottom.
• Cup-shaped nests of tailor bird: Sewn from long leaves using thread and wool; lined with hair, wool, grass, and cotton for warmth.
• Cavity nests of woodpecker: Holes pecked in tree trunks with chisel-like beaks; lined with wood chips for comfort.
• Scrape nests: Made by penguin, ostrich, and vulture; shallow ground depressions lined with leaves, grasses, stones, or feathers for camouflage.
• Burrow nests: Dug by swallow and kingfisher using beaks and feet; vary in depth with an enlarged chamber for eggs.
• Cuckoos lay eggs in other birds’ nests (e.g., crow) and do not hatch or feed their young.

Some Interesting Facts about Birds

• Birds lay eggs with hard shells in various shapes, sizes, colors, and markings.
• Ostrich lays the largest egg; hummingbird lays the smallest, pea-sized egg.
• Penguin is the only bird that walks straight.
• Birds make unique sounds to communicate.
• Songbirds eat insects that harm plants, as well as fruits, nuts, and seeds.
• Hens and peacocks can fly only short distances.

Looking after the Young Ones

• Birds lay eggs in nests; one parent warms them while the other protects them.
• Baby birds hatch weak, featherless, and with closed eyes.
• Parents feed and protect babies from enemies and bad weather.
• Babies grow fast, develop feathers, become strong, and learn to fly and find food.

Caring for Birds

• Young birds may hop on the ground while learning to fly.
• We can help by providing grains and water, especially in summer.
• Bird feeders and birdbaths near homes support birds.
• Be kind to birds by not destroying nests or eggs.
• Take animals to veterinary doctors for check-ups, provide food, and keep them clean.