Breeding birds: features of development and vital activity

There are various classifications of birds, based on a variety of signs. One of them is the degree of development of newborn chicks and the features of their further growth. By this criterion of systematization, two large groups are distinguished: brood birds, examples of which will be given in our article, and nesting. Let us consider them in more detail.

Nesting and breeding birds: main differences

All members of this class multiply, laying eggs, after hatching them. After a certain time, the chicks hatch from the eggs. Breeding birds are characterized by the fact that their newborn chicks are almost immediately ready for independent life. The body of the nestlings is completely covered with down. It warms and protects the young organism from unfavorable environmental conditions, and especially from sharp daily temperature changes. This allows such birds to immediately leave the nest and not freeze.

Eggs from which the broods appear, are quite large in size and contain a large supply of valuable nutrients. The embryo uses them in order to reach a considerable degree of development in the shell and to pass to an independent life almost immediately after hatching. The females have to incubate eggs for a long time - sometimes more than three weeks. Immediately after hatching chicks are able to see and hear well. Their muscular system is fully functioning, which means that they move independently. This is extremely important for protection from unexpected predators. After a few hours, the kids already know how to run fast and fly a little. And after a couple of weeks they can find their own food.

Nesting birds hatch absolutely helpless chicks. They are born with bare skin, plumage, sight and hearing are absent. Examples of nesting birds are sparrows, woodpeckers, cuckoos, pigeons, etc. After birth, they can not keep on their feet, thermoregulation is not yet formed. For these reasons, these chicks stay in the nest for a certain period of time, in need of the care of parents who feed and heat them.

Semi-excrement birds

There is also an intermediate group, the representatives of which combine the features of both nesting and breeding birds. For example, owl chicks appear blind and develop under the supervision of their parents, but are completely covered with plumage. But gulls for a long time remain in the nests, despite the fact that they hatch and sighted, and pubescent.

Habitat

Breeding birds, whose representatives are quite diverse, are waterfowl or live on land. They do not build their nests high on the trees. They are distinguished by their large body size and large mass. Therefore, chickens can at first slightly flutter, gradually completely feathering. Waterfowl broods first have poorly developed wings, most of the time devoting to the formation of swimming skills.

And now let's take a closer look at the main groups of this group.

Crane-like

Breeding birds include all species of the group cranes. They are characterized by a long neck and the same beak and legs. Thanks to the presence of loops in the trachea, they emit characteristic sounds resembling a pipe. Being brood, the cranes build nests right on the ground. These are fairly large birds, up to a meter and a half. The range of their wings can reach two meters. The most common species of this order are the gray, steppe and crowned cranes.

Anseriformes

Waterfowl brood birds (examples - swan, duck and mallard) belong to the group of anseriformes. Their characteristic feature is the presence of a wide and flattened beak. Inside its upper part there are horny plates, which serve to filter out food particles from water.

The saying "to get out of the water" exists thanks to an anseriform bird. The thing is in the presence of their coccygeal gland, the secret of which they lubricate their plumage. As a result, it becomes waterproof. Anseriformes serve as an important object of the fishery, since they have tasty, nutritious meat and fat, which has medicinal properties. It is worth mentioning the warm feathers and down that are used to fill blankets and pillows, as well as getting knitted products.

Thus, brood birds are more viable than nest birds and are of great economic importance for humans.