Did you know that storks can fall asleep in flight without sinking to the ground? The smallest egg in the world belongs to the brown bird. A bird's feathers are heavier than its bones.

There are many such interesting facts about birds.

In particular, the heaviest bird is the dudaki. The sparrow is considered the most "intelligent" bird, because 4.5 grams of brain correspond to 100 grams of sparrow mass. During flight, a bald eagle can lift its legs up and continue flying.

In fact, it is estimated that about 100 billion birds live on earth. But today, people know 10,694 species of birds living on earth.

More than 440 species of birds belonging to 19 families are known in the fauna of Uzbekistan. According to the place of residence, birds are divided into several large ecological groups, forest birds, desert and steppe birds, water bodies (water-swimming) birds, swamp and shore birds; they are divided into flying, migratory and sedentary birds according to the seasonal changes of their life.

The importance of birds in nature and human life is diverse, including pollination of plants, spreading of their seeds, destruction of harmful insects and rodents (control of their population). Birds damage gardens and grain crops, spread infectious diseases. Birds are hunted, several species are domesticated. The aesthetic value of birds in nature is especially great, their chirping enlivens parks and avenues, and evokes a sense of pleasure in a person. The number of bird species is decreasing. Since the beginning of the 17th century, about 100 species of birds have died out, and several species are on the verge of extinction. Efforts have been made to protect birds since ancient times.

What is the average temperature of the human body? That's right, 36.6 degrees. In birds, this indicator is 8 degrees higher. It's harder… and that's why 3/4 of the breath a bird takes goes to cool its body. That's why birds don't sweat.

During flight, a bird's heart beats 1000 times per minute, that is, 16 times per second. At rest, this rate is 400 times per minute. And this fact occupies the 9th place in the list of interesting facts about birds.

Did you know that Kiwi is the only wingless bird known to scientists in New Zealand, besides it has no tail and its feathers look like wool. If it were not for the structure of the internal organs and the beak, it would be considered a mammal. After all, his behavior and appearance do not resemble a bird at all.

Why do birds fly in a triangular shape? It's simple enough to make long flights easier. Each bird flies directly behind its neighbor and is in the air stream created by its wings. It helps to conserve energy. The leader is more difficult than all, so the strongest and most durable will be the leader.

Birds live on all continents and are creatures that travel around the world. They live where there are plants and animals suitable for food: in forests, mountains, meadows and swamps, steppes, tundras and deserts.

Bird feathers have been of great importance in cultural history, as they were used for writing from the time of the Roman Empire until the middle of the last century.

Dilrabo Boboyeva, information service of the Forestry Agency