HOW DOES A BIRD FLY?
The Flight Physiology of a Bird When a bird lifts off, it uses mass amounts of energy. This energy continues throughout the time the bird is in the air, but they are able to expend so much energy because of their natural diet. The food birds eat contains high energy proteins and carbohydrates. Birds are also equipped with hollow, lightweight bones that make it easier for them to stay in the air. Their feathers are light and positioned in a way that allows them to catch wind for greater lift. One additional perk birds have is their lung capacity, which allows for great reserves of oxygen that keep them from tiring during flight. Gliding and Lift Birds glide in the air in much the same way planes do. As they propel themselves through the air they also stretch their wings out and allow the moving air to flow over them. As they do this, their wings are pushing down on the air around them. Newton’s third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite react
