Did you know?!     Did you know that a birds lungs aren't large enough to supply the oxygen that the bird needs to survive?
    Before you say, " Yes they are Chris,  my birds breath all the time."
    Birds have nine air sacs that attach to the lungs.  When a bird inhales about 1/4 of the air he inhales goes
directly to the lungs the other 3/4 fills the air sacs.  When the bird exhales the air that is in the lungs is used
to it's fullest and then pushed out as carbon dioxide.  The air in the air sacs (witch is still fresh) Goes through
the lungs and oxygenates the blood on exhale!
    So in conclusion a bird's blood is oxygenated while he is either exhaling or inhaling.  That is how a bird
meets the required oxygen needs!
    This feature is unique to birds and only birds!
    This helps a bird also in flight because nine air sacs are much lighter than having humongus lungs.
 

This shows the nine air sacs and the lungs as well as the syrinx. Thanks for taking the time to know your pet! Back to the facts index