Birds breathe both ways

I was completely mind blown when I found out so I decided to share it.

Birds get oxygen into their lungs both when they breathe in AND when they breathe out. This is necessary to meet the extremely high oxygen demand during flight.

They have air sacs near the lungs and overfill the lungs while they inhale so that the excess air goes into these air sacs. When they exhale the air sacs empty into the lungs reoxygenating the blood.

Bird anatomy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And we're stuck with this stupid one way breathing.

Yeah, it's pretty interesting. Birds are much more efficient at using oxygen that we are. In a biology course we dissected quails and had to blow with a straw into the birds' mouths to see the air sacs expand. And that whole 'gizzard' thing is weird too, a compartment that helps break down food literally using rocks and other material that the bird has swallowed (If I'm remembering this correctly).

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Originally Posted by Spartiate

And we're stuck with this stupid one way breathing.

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Well, you could always use your cheeks and try some circular breathing.

Circular breathing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Originally Posted by IAmCoder

Well, you could always use your cheeks and try some circular breathing.

Circular breathing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Hah, I tried this with mediocre success. Although you'd still be oxygenating your blood with only one "stroke", which is only half as efficient as birds.


The birds will rule us all.

http://thumbnails.hulu.com/6/952/153...dfIJZctRSA.jpg

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Originally Posted by Spartiate

The birds will rule us all.

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good im not the only one who thinks birds have a sinister agenda.

Birds are pretty freaky. Chickens in particular. They still look very reptilian, the way they jerkily move their heads and catch you side on with their big wide glaring eyes. We have chickens at home and they make the most bizarre noises, you would not believe it, especially when they start one of their group 'songs'.

Mrs. Tweedy, the chickens are revolting!

http://www.becomeveggie.com/attachme...hickenrun1.jpg

Oh my God I love that movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdX9wHtAHd4

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about btw. You cannot believe how loud and annoying this is in the morning.

Omg somebody pluck that chicken and deep fry it.

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Originally Posted by Xei

Oh my God I love that movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdX9wHtAHd4

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about btw. You cannot believe how loud and annoying this is in the morning.

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I wonder if chickens only do that since they've been domesticated, that would attract every predator in the wild.

Birds are like mini dinosaurs. I like them :D

Birds :holycrap: