But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids
How do birds fly?
Sep 8, 2023
Expert from Vermont Institute of Natural Science and Bird Diva discuss bird flight. Topics include how birds fly, purposes of flight, techniques to generate lift, flying abilities of different birds, why penguins can't fly, adaptations for swimming, why ostriches and emus can't fly, and whether birds have fun flying.
24:40
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Quick takeaways
- Birds evolved flight by leaping and gliding, and later using feathers to climb and glide like squirrels.
- Birds' wing structures, feathers, and hollow bones enable them to generate lift, soar, and perform specialized movements.
Deep dives
How birds started to fly
Birds started flying by leaping and gliding as they ran along the ground, similar to how turkeys fly today. Another theory suggests that birds used wings and feathers to climb steep slopes or tree trunks and evolved into flying. Some theories propose that birds used feathers and wing structures to glide from tree to tree like flying squirrels. Feathers, initially evolved for warmth, became essential in the evolution of flight. Feathers and specialized wing structures allow birds to fly in cool ways.
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