Do birds ever breathe? How do they breathe
Do birds ever breathe? How do they breathe
They have nostrils and lungs--they are not mammals, but they certainly breathe. In some species (like budgies), the nostrils (or "cere") are surrounded by bright blue or purple tissue, allowing you to tell the sex of the animal. They also sneeze, which is very cute!
In addition to lungs they have a complex system of internal air sacs, which makes their breathing more efficient because they have a continuous one-way flow of air, instead of taking in fresh air and breathing out stale alternately through the same tubes, as mammals do.
The respiratory difference between birds and mammals is that birds lungs have air pass through them in a singular direction. Mammals have a diaphragm which is why we breathe in and out.
Birds have nine air sacs. When they take in air through the cere it goes to the biggest air sac which is located at the base of the bird. From there air is transported to the other air sacs each acting as a bellows to push the air flowing in a singular direction over the lungs.
They have nostrils and lungs--they are not mammals, but they certainly breathe. In some species (like budgies), the nostrils (or "cere") are surrounded by bright blue or purple tissue, allowing you to tell the sex of the animal. They also sneeze, which is very cute!
In addition to lungs they have a complex system of internal air sacs, which makes their breathing more efficient because they have a continuous one-way flow of air, instead of taking in fresh air and breathing out stale alternately through the same tubes, as mammals do.
The respiratory difference between birds and mammals is that birds lungs have air pass through them in a singular direction. Mammals have a diaphragm which is why we breathe in and out.
Birds have nine air sacs. When they take in air through the cere it goes to the biggest air sac which is located at the base of the bird. From there air is transported to the other air sacs each acting as a bellows to push the air flowing in a singular direction over the lungs.
