Class Aves includes birds, characterized by feathers, beaks without teeth, and laying hard-shelled eggs. Birds are warm-blooded, have a high metabolic rate, and most species are capable of flight.
Table of Contents
General characters of Class Aves:
1) Body: Body is spindle shaped divided into head, neck, trunk and tail. Body is covered by feathers, forms the exoskeleton.
2) Fore limbs: Fore limbs are modified into wing which are powered by strong flight muscles helps to fly.
3) Hind limbs: Hind limbs has four clawed digit, adapted for purching, walking, swimming bear horny epidermal scales.
4) Heart: Heart is four chambered. Only right aortic arch is present.
5) Bones: Bones are hollow with air cavities (pneumatic bone) to reduce body weight forms the endoskeleton.
6) Body temperature: They are homeothermic (warm blooded) animals.
7) Kidney: Kidneys are metanephric type.
8) Cranial nerves: 12 pairs of Cranial nerves present.
9) Beak Upper and lower jaws are modified into beak without teeth. Beaks are adapted to many ways of feeding.
10) Alimentary Camal: Alimentary canal has additional chambers, the crop and gizzard. The crop stores and soften the food while gizzard helps in crushing the food.
11) Respiration Respiration is through lungs. Air sacs are present in association with lungs performs double respiration.
12) Excretion: Excrete the nitrogenous waste matter (Uric acid) through cloaca.
13) Syrinx: Syrinx is the voice/ sound producing organ of birds.
14) Fertilisation: Fertilisation is internal. All birds are oviparous. Lay cleidoic eggs.
15) Skull: Single occipital condyle present in skull, i.e. monocondylic.
Example: Columba livia (Pigeon), Pavo sp. (Peacock); Bubo bubo (Owl) etc.
Examples of Class Aves
| Common Name of Some Birds | Scientific name |
| 1. Pigeon | Columbia livia |
| 2. House Sparrow | Passer domesticus |
| 3. Eagle | Aquila rapax |
| 4. Hen | Gallus domesticus |
| 5. Duck | Anas platyrhyncos |
| 6. American Robin | Turdus migratorius |
| 7. Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus |
| 8. Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus |
| 9. Crow | Corvus macrorhynchos |
| 10. Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus |
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