Science Minute Script:

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How Do Birds Fly?

This Science Minute was researched and written by Krista V., Trumansburg.

Have you ever wished you could fly like a bird? Birds use their wings to fly by pushing down on the air while the air pushes the bird up. Scientists call the curved shape of wing an airfoil because of the way the air passes over and under the wings.

Birds have strong breast muscles, which they use to flap their wings. A bird’s wings are hinged to help them flap. On the down stroke, the bird’s wings are extended all the way out. On the upstroke, the wings fold up. Birds fly by gliding, hovering, soaring, and flapping.

Other adaptations for flight are lightweight, hollow bones and feathers. They have three kinds of feathers: down feathers, ornamental feathers, and contour feathers. Only the contour feathers are stiff enough to catch the air and help birds to fly.

If you had all these adaptations, your wish to fly would come true!