The living habits of ridged birds make birds

1) birds with general characteristics belong to vertebrates. Have a high and constant body temperature, which is higher than that of mammals. It often reaches about 4 degrees. Birds have no sweat glands, while mammals have sweat glands. The most feathers of birds are flying feathers. Flying feathers are covered in the body, wings and tail. Feather consists of a feather shaft and a feather flap. Feather occurs from the bottom of the feather sac with papillary epidermis. Its outer layer cells form a feather sheath, and the inner layer cells produce feathers, so the roots of feathers are attached to the bottom of the feather sac. When molting, old feathers will be replaced and new feathers will grow from here. Birds have bones and muscles suitable for flying. The number of birds with thoracic juveniles is small, about 5 to 6, and the coccyx degenerates, and the last few coccyxes are combined into a coccyx to support the fan-shaped tail feather. The sternum of birds is very developed, and the ventral median process forms sternal crest, also called keel process. The sternum is the attachment point of the pectoral muscle. The streamlined external contour of birds can reduce flight resistance. It has a horny beak at the head end, a long and flexible neck, big eyes with eyes, eyelids and a blink membrane. ; \W

(2) Understanding the digestive system of birds correctly is the key to raising birds well. The digestive system of birds includes beak, mouth, esophagus, crop, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and cloaca. Others, such as liver and pancreas, belong to digestive organs. Birds have no teeth and are replaced by horny hard beaks. The shape of beaks (mouths) varies with different species. The bird's mouth is only a passage for food, but it has no chewing function. The esophagus is elastic, and the lower end expands to form crop, which is a staple food of insects or carnivorous birds. Crop is small or disappears, and it can secrete liquid to soften food. Some birds during brooding can secrete milk from crop to feed their chicks. The stomach of birds is composed of glandular stomach (forestomach) and muscular stomach (gizzard), with yellow horny membrane in the inner layer, and the muscular stomach is filled with sand and gravel, which has the function of grinding food. Small intestine is the main organ for digestion and absorption of birds. Carnivorous and insect-eating birds have short large intestine, and feces can be excreted from cloaca at any time. Birds that eat plant seeds (cereals) and other plant foods have long intestines. The rear end of the intestine is connected with the cloaca, and the cloaca is open to the outside. Birds have a large amount of activity, and their digestion ability is strong and fast: for example, if they are fed with grains or insects, it takes only 9 minutes for food to pass through the digestive tract, while indigestible food residues are discharged in the form of feces. It takes only 3 minutes for the food of the green-billed black duck to pass through the digestive tract. Such high digestibility can provide a material basis for the vigorous energy metabolism needs of birds. Therefore, birds eat more than other animals every day and eat more times. For example, passerine birds eat 1% ~ 3% of their body weight in a day, and sparrow hawks weighing 15 grams can eat 8 ~ 1 grams of meat day and night. Because of the vigorous energy metabolism, energy consumption is also large. A hummingbird eats honey equivalent to twice its weight in a day. Red-throated hummingbirds can consume 1.7 ~ 16. ml of oxygen per gram of body weight in one hour at rest, but when flying, it will increase to 85 ml per gram of body weight per hour. Therefore, when raising birds, we must pay attention to meeting their daily food intake. It is very sensitive to hunger, and one of the main reasons for the death of caged birds is improper or insufficient food supply. 2. Classification of Birds Birds are divided into 27 orders and 163 families. There are about 156 families and more than 9, species of birds in the world. There are 81 families (51.9%) and 1244 species in China, accounting for 14% of the total number of birds in the world, more than India and Australia, and more than the sum of Europe and North America, making China one of the countries with the largest number of birds in the world. Birds kept in cages in China are mainly songbirds, including birds of passeriformes and Swifts. Passeriformes is the highest order of birds, with the largest number of species, accounting for more than half of modern birds. The size of the body is very different, the feathers are diverse, and the beak shape is different. Feet are mostly short and thin, with three toes forward, one toe backward and four toes on the same plane. The hind toe is about the same length as the middle toe, but the hind paw is larger than the middle paw. Most of them are good at singing, dancing and performing, and they are generally good at nesting. The chicks are late bloomers. The passeriformes are divided into Larnaceae, Thrushcross, Chiropteridae, Oncidae, Ravidae, sturnidae, Thrushinae, Warbler, Oncidae, paridae, Embroidery Ophthalmology, Woodpecker, Sunbird, Wenniae, Plum finch and other birds. ! Birds have different feeding habits, and caged birds can be divided into four categories according to their feeding habits. 8(Q? U 5

(1) The typical cereal-eating birds belong to Sparidae and Wenniaidae. Most of the birds of the family Wenniaidae have a solid conical mouth, and the peak mouth is not obvious. The finch's mouth is in various shapes, such as the mouth of the wax-billed finch and the tin-billed finch, which eat hard seeds, is thick, the mouth of the gray finch is flat and high, and the mouth of the chick crosses up and down. Because the birds that eat chaffinch feed on grain, their cecum degenerates or disappears. Valley-eating birds have strong ornamental value, some can also train their performance skills, and are easy to raise and breed, so they are very popular among bird lovers. D 4m | k

(2) Insect-eating birds There are many kinds of birds, most of which are gorgeous in feathers, graceful in posture and sweet in singing, so they are people's favorite ornamental birds. However, their food composition is complex, their feeding methods are diverse, and their environmental requirements are harsh, so it is difficult to raise and breed them artificially. Because most of them are beneficial birds in agriculture and forestry, they should be raised as little as possible. Insect-eating birds can be divided into three types: those with flat width, obvious peaks and ridges, and well-developed mouths, such as curly tail and chicken; Having a narrow pincer-like mouth, such as tits and warblers; Having a slender and curved mouth, such as a lark; Having a chisel-shaped mouth, as a woodpecker. Among these birds, there are a little chin (red-spotted chin, blue-spotted chin), tits and so on. Qvj_al a

(3) Omnivorous birds have complex feeding habits. Some birds mainly eat plant seeds and a small amount of insects, some mainly eat insects and plant seeds, and some mainly eat fruits and plant seeds. Its mouth shape is longer and slightly curved, and its peak ridge is obvious; Or the upper mouth is hooked, which looks like an eagle's mouth, but it is thicker. Among caged birds, the Taiping bird, thrush, lark, myna, myna, cockatoo and turtledove all belong to omnivorous birds. '_uco! Tm

(4) Carnivorous birds can be divided into carnivorous birds and carnivorous birds, and their mouths are also different, but they are large and sharp, and their tips are notched, such as eagles, herons, storks and shrikes. Of course, from the use of ornamental birds, it can be divided into: ornamental birds, generally raised in pairs, one female and one male, such as colorful wenbirds, Jinhua birds, white wenbirds, gray wenbirds and budgerigars; Singing birds, these birds are raised to listen to singing and singing, such as myna, myna, thrush, lark, point-click, titmouse, etc. Performance birds can train programs such as holding money and opening toys, such as yellowbird, waxbilled finch and canary. Eh2> 3 51 {e

3. Origin and benefits of keeping birds at home vC[M-[(>

(1) The origin of keeping birds According to books such as Book of Rites, Mencius and Classic of Mountains and Seas, Chinese people have a tradition of loving and keeping birds since ancient times. About thousands of years ago, for the needs of material life, people first locked up and fed some wild birds that were small in size, gentle in character and easy to raise and survive. After a long period of breeding and domestication, some wild birds gradually became poultry raised by human beings, such as chickens, ducks and geese. Later, with the continuous improvement of people's material life, some people took a keen interest in the birds with gorgeous plumage, melodious singing or beautiful posture in nature, so they began to train these birds for the purpose of viewing and playing, which has continued to this day. 6K@%xzs _

(2) Benefits of raising birds The equipment needed for raising birds at home is simple, the investment is small, and it is easy to carry out among the elderly. Watching the beautiful posture and gorgeous feathers of birds gives people spiritual enjoyment and happiness. Leisure entertainment, self-cultivation, cultivate sentiment, and moderate exercise of bones and muscles, improve physical and mental health. With the improvement of domestic bird breeding technology, especially the success of artificial breeding technology and the development of international exchange activities, domestic bird breeding can be developed as a sideline. By raising some rare ornamental birds that can be artificially bred, we can meet the needs of the domestic market and create economic benefits. By raising birds, birds can also be directly used to serve the national economic construction, and there have been gratifying attempts to use birds to eliminate pests in agriculture and forestry, such as the elimination of pine caterpillars by grey magpies. Some industrial and mining enterprises, taking advantage of the sensitivity of birds to some harmful substances, place birds in underground coal mines, dyeing workshops, reagents, drugs, toxic gases and other workshops of chemical plants and pharmaceutical companies as "alarms" for harmful substances exceeding the content to ensure the safety of production and personnel. Scientific, reasonable and organized family bird raising activities can also protect bird resources, maintain the ecological balance of nature and protect birds in nature, thus reducing people's harm to wild birds. 7 C\}`cqD

(3) What kind of birds are suitable for families? The main way to raise birds in families is to raise artificially bred birds, but not to raise wild birds or less. However, according to the current situation in China and people's hobbies, it is impossible to keep a wild bird. The purpose of keeping wild birds is research and protection. Myna and Goose are both wild birds, but they are regarded as people's favorite ornamental birds in traditional breeding. Myna and myna can be trained to speak, which is very popular. If birds can be bred in the breeding process, it will be even more fun. The birds that can be artificially bred now include Jinshan Pearl Bird, Canary Bird, Peony Parrot, Pastor Bird and Wenbird (colorful wenbird, gray text, white text, etc.). Raising myna and myna in the family should not only pay attention to breeding, but also pay attention to research and breeding. Lininkcc

4. Basic conditions for caging birds (

If birds flying freely in the sky are to get used to the living environment in small cages, they can sing happily. We should try our best to artificially create various conditions for them to live in nature, so that the environmental conditions provided by bird breeders can become the "Little Paradise" for caged birds. K; #6HVn$

(1) Considering the geographical distribution of birds, migratory types and birds' feeding habits, generally speaking, local resident birds and winter migratory birds can be raised at normal temperature without heat preservation. Summer migratory birds, zerg-eating birds and resident birds in low latitudes need proper heat preservation in cold seasons. The heat in summer is not suitable for all birds, so pay attention to heatstroke prevention. [F_jH c

(2) Humidity Birds in different areas have different requirements for humidity. For example, if we compare the captive thrush in the south and the north, we will find that the feathers of captive thrush in the north are rough and dull, not as smooth and compact as those in the south, and their life span is generally not as long as that in the south; On the other hand, larks kept in captivity in the south are not as strong and fond of singing as those in the north, and they are often trapped in damp and mosquito bites and get sick. Because thrush lives in the wet bushes in the south, while lark lives in the dry grasslands in the north. Habitat environment is different, so it is necessary to artificially create a suitable humidity environment according to the humidity requirements of various birds in the wild. During the incubation period of birds, the humidity requirement is higher, and it is ideal that the humidity can reach 4% ~ 5%. [? wI_& MPA

(3) Water bath Most birds like water bath. Water bath is beneficial to remove dirt on feathers, to dissipate heat on the body surface and to remove ectoparasites. There are three ways to bathe birds in cages: one is to put a special shallow water tank (basin) in the cage and take it out immediately after bathing, but this method is easy to pollute the cage; The second is to put the bird in a bath lead wire cage and put it in a basin filled with clear water, allowing it to bathe freely. The depth of the water is determined by whether the bird is not too plump when bathing. This kind of water bath method, birds should have an adaptation process, don't force it; The third is watering can shower, which is mostly used for birds who are not used to bathing in cages. According to the season, weather, temperature and humidity, combined with the bird's water bath requirements and health status, master the number of water baths. After bathing, you should sunbathe immediately or put it in a warm place to dry the feathers as soon as possible. Th/%-M*

(4) Sand Bath Birds and sparrows of Larnaceae like sand bath, which has the same effect as water bath. Generally, clean and dry fine sand is used for sand bath, and new sand should be replaced frequently. Change in Ying Qin in humid places. Feeding larks requires changing dry sand once or twice a week. Kr9T7 cP

(5) Sunsunbathers need different degrees of sunlight in their natural habitats. Birds living in open and arid areas experience longer and stronger sunshine hours than those living in dark and humid jungles. However, all kinds of birds can't be exposed to direct sunlight for a long time in summer, so a shady place should be set in the cage. And ensure adequate drinking water. From a physiological point of view, no bird can leave the sun for a long time. In winter and rainy season with short sunshine, we should strive to let birds get more sunshine to meet their physiological requirements. Br< SLK 2 < P > 5. There are many kinds of nutrients and feeds for caged birds, and proper allocation will make birds grow healthily and increase their reproduction. If it is not properly mixed, it will affect the health of birds and even lead to death. The collocation of various feeds should change with time and different species of birds, so attention should be paid to both scientificity and practicality in feeding. D@g7Vf*(%

(1) Nutritional components of feed The nutritional components of feed mainly include protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals. Protein: Birds need a lot of protein for their growth and reproduction. Protein is composed of various amino acids, which is one of the main components of birds. Birds need a lot of protein feed in their life, such as eggs, insects, fish meal, bone meal, meat, all kinds of bean powder and plant feed. Carbohydrate: Carbohydrate is the main heat source of birds. The temperature of birds is generally around 41 degrees. In addition, birds need to consume a lot of heat energy to be active, active, flying, jumping and climbing. Birds must consume a lot of carbohydrates to supplement their heat. Usually the feed contains a lot of carbohydrates. Fat: Fat can maintain the bird's body temperature, protect the bird's internal organs, keep the muscles and skin moist and elastic, and make the feathers bright and the feather roots firm. Fat is also a component of some body tissues and hormones. In addition, fat is also a solvent for fat-soluble vitamins. There are many feeds rich in fat, mainly the seeds of oil crops, such as perilla seeds, hemp seeds, rapeseed, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, peanuts, walnuts and so on. But you can't eat too much fatty feed. Otherwise, it will make birds obese and affect their singing and reproductive ability. Vitamins: Vitamins are an indispensable component in the process of bird growth, reproduction and development, which directly affects various physiological activities and growth and development of birds. Lack of certain vitamins in birds can cause chondropathy, distorted claws, fluffy feathers, low egg production and reproduction ability, and fading feathers. The vitamins needed by birds are mainly vitamins A, B, D, E, etc. These vitamins mainly exist in fresh turquoise feed, fruits, cod liver oil, rice bran, bone meal and yeast powder. Minerals: Minerals refer to calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, copper, selenium and other elements contained in feed. They are closely related to the growth and development, digestion, hematopoiesis, reproduction and other physiological activities of birds. In the process of feeding, in addition to regularly supplementing mineral feeds such as cuttlefish bone, eggshell powder, bone powder and shell powder, it is also necessary to pay attention to the reasonable collocation of feeds. Complete feed is used to meet the needs of birds for various mineral elements. mj? ) XLz

(2) Types of feed Bird feed can be roughly divided into staple feed and auxiliary feed.