SKELETON OF BIRD

All birds have the same basic plan, though different life styles have meant that they have evolved different variations on the central theme. Birds such as swans have more vertebrae in their necks than those like parrots who have very short necks. Swans have 25 vertebrae, parrots have 9. Most flightless birds, having no need of the large flight muscles, have therefore, no need of the large keel or sternum that flying birds have. The exception to this rule are penguins who effectively fly through the water with their modified wings and still need large muscles to power them.

Bird's inherited their basic skeleton from their reptilian ancestors. The constraints of flight however have meant that birds have had to modify it in several major ways. Flight means lifting the birds weight, so the first major consideration is reduction in weight. The lighter the bird, the easier it is to fly. The main ways birds have lost weight is through the loss of teeth and the large jaw bones needed to support teeth, the loss of nearly all the tail and reduction of the skull. Though a bird's major limb bones are hollow with internal struts for support, this makes them stronger not lighter; a bird's leg bones for example are often heavier than those of similar sized mammal or reptile.

Part of skeleton :

Humerus

Gives shape to the body and acts as an attachment site for the muscles around it

Coracoids

A beak-shaped bone articulating with the scapula and sternum in most vertebrates

Clavicle

Bone of the vertebrate pectoral girdle typically serving to link scapula and sternum - collarbone

Sternum

Backbone that holds the rib together

Tibia and fibula

Lower leg bones; tibia makes inner ankle. Bone allows walks and runs

Femur

Upper legs; connect to tibiotarsus (shin) and fibula (side of lower leg

Scapula

- Mobile bone to which most of shoulder muscle attach

- serves as broad plate for strong anchoring of muscles of upper and extremity

Ulna

it is a bone in the forearm and functions as part of the elbow joint

Metacarpus

Help to move the fingers

Radius

To rotate the forearm called supination and pronation. The radius has pivot joint at both ends and rotates over the ulna