Tag Archives: birds

Why don’t birds breathe like the rest of us?

Birds breathe quite differently to us.  They don’t have a diaphragm and their ribs only move slightly when they breathe in.  Instead they use large air sacs like bellows to move air through their lungs.  It takes two full breaths … Continue reading

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Whaaaat……eggs breathe? Part II: How bird, reptile and monotreme eggs exchange gases

Now we know how aquatic eggs (amphibians and fish) breathe, let’s explore how eggs that are normally laid on land exchange their respiratory gases.  The amniotes (reptiles, birds and mammals) mostly lay their eggs on the land, in burrows or … Continue reading

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