BIRDS are vertebrate warm-blooded animals, i.e. whose temperature remains more or less constant and independant of the surrounding temperature. This is in contradistinction to Reptile, Amphibians and Fishes which are cold-blooded, ie. of temperature that changes with the hotness or coldness of their surroundings.

Birds believed to have sprung from reptlian ancestors in bygone aeons. At first sight this appears a far-fetched notion, for on the face of it there seems little in common between the grovelling cold-blood reptile and the graceful, soaring warm-blooded bird.

The total number of bird species known to science as inhabiting the earth today has been estimated as about 8600. If subspecies or geographical races are taken into account the figure would rise to nearly 30,000.

About Senses

Of the senses, those of Sight and Hearing are most highly developed in birds, that of Taste is comparatively poor, while Smell is practically absent. In rapid accomodation of the eye, the bird surpasses all other creatures. The focus can be altered from a distant object to a near one almost instantaneously; as an American naturalist puts it, 'in a fraction of time it (the eye) can change itself from a telescope to a microscope'.

What is the most beautiful bird?

Difficult to pick out any single species for the highest honour, and depends rather on individual tastes. a large number of birds of many different families, particularly those resident in areas of humid evergreen forest, possess extraordinarily brilliant plumage. as afamily, the pheasants occupy a high place for color and brilliancy of plumage and adornment possessed by the cocks of most species. At the bottom of the size ladder come the sunbirds--tiny creatures about half the size of the House sparrow or less-- whose glistening resplendent plumage scintillating in the bright sunshine as they fit from flower to flower, or dart from one forest glade to another, transforms them into living gems.