What makes the birds fly? This is a question that has been asked for centuries, and most of us get confused about what to answer. Birds are fascinating creatures; they can take flight in an instant when startled, yet they remain grounded when it’s time to nest. They live their lives in the sky as if it were second nature – but why?
We must have told our parents sometime in our childhood that I want to fly as the birds do. A flock of birds flying in the sky appears mesmerizing to the eyes. Aren’t we excited to know what makes them fly? So, let’s explore what makes the birds fly.
Presence of Wings
We know that birds use their wings to fly that are extremely thin, but this doesn’t explain how they can go up and down in the air. The answer is because of lift- it’s what allows them to be lifted off from one place. Lift is created by a process called Bernoulli’s principle.
Bernoulli’s principle states that when an object moves faster over a fluid (air or water), the overall pressure decreases that results in an upward force. In this case too, birds fly in the air because of which pressure drops and it flies by an upward force. Birds fly because their wings cause an area of lower air pressure above them, which pushes up on their underside causing lift that keeps them in the sky.
Hollow bones and a light-weight body
Also, the birds have pneumatic or hollow bones that decrease the weight of their body to help them fly at a greater speed. They need less energy to stay longer in the air because of light bodyweight with less effort to fly. It also allows the birds to take off quickly and escape from the eyes of predators or other dangers.
High Metabolic Rate
Efficient lungs also provide the birds with the ability to use less oxygen for flight, which means they can fly longer distances. They can respire at a higher rate without much effort because of their light bodyweight. The birds have a high metabolic rate which helps them to fly for long distances.
Body Features
Sensitive skin, feathers, and sense organs are also important features that help the birds’ flight. It provides insulation from the cold in winter or heat waves during the summer months. Now that we know what actually makes the birds fly, we do not have to consider it as magic but as a special character given to this class of organisms. The key to the birds flight is that they use their wings which create an area of lower pressure. They also have hollow bones for less weight, higher metabolic rate, and senses organs to fly long distances.
Best of Starry Stories
1. Read about the The Physics of Floating Ball
2. Read about the Did You Just Spot a Cheetah a Leopard and a Jaguar
3. Read about the Which is the Largest Delta in the World?
4. Read about the Chlorophyll and Haemoglobin – An Unlikely Connection
5. Read about the What is the True Colour of the Coronavirus?
6. Read about Why Do Fish Not Freeze in Cold Water?
About Author
Sachika Sharma is an experienced content writer who has worked in creating content across various niches. The amount and strategies of research is what delivers out and engaging content that can attract a huge proportion of readers from around the world and develop their interest.
Read all Articles by Sachika Sharma