Hollow Bird Bones - Adaptations for Flight

Bird flight is amazing, but let's look at what birds have to sacrifice to make it happen. Please subscribe to continue learning what makes life AWESOME: https://BioBush.tv/subscribe

You probably know that birds have hollow bones. And if you're like me, you probably thought that was a weight-saving strategy. But it's more interesting than that. Because bird bones do NOT weigh less than comparable animals.

Their bones are denser and stronger, with a hollow core. The total weight is the same. Hollow bones are actually a bone-strengthening compromise.

Compromise is the correct term, because birds sacrifice the normal function of bone interiors, which is producing red blood cells. They have a few bones which retain this ability.

I will be making more videos that outline the compromises built into bird bodies that allow flight. There are a lot!

Copyright
Video "Candling medullary bone in bird skeletons" by Sarah Werning (   • Candling medullary bone in bird skele...  . Used under Creative Commons cc-by 2.0.

Video "Secretary Bird Skeleton" by Djinn Androsgyne (   • Secretary Bird Skeleton  ), used under Creative Commons cc-by 2.0

Bizarre Birds - https://BioBush.tv/birdbeaks

Ask a Zookeeper #1 https://BioBush.tv/aaz1

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