Bird body structure
Beginning artists will understand how easy it is to draw a bird if they better learn the techniques and basic rules.
- — All birds have a streamlined shape. This shape is necessary for flight.
- — The skeletal structure of birds is the same. Only the length and size of the individual parts change.
- “The feathers overlap each other like tiles on a roof.” The overlap begins along the front of the crown, then goes down the back to the tail.
- — The structure of the wing corresponds to the structure of the human upper limb, i.e. shoulder, forearm and wrist. The “brush” is the place where the first flight feathers begin to grow.
- — Birds’ knees are almost invisible. It is often covered with feathers.
- — Bird paws are arranged as follows: three fingers point forward and one back.
Lifestyle
When studying the bird fauna of any area, one can note the variability of its composition at different times of the year. In fact, very few birds live with us both winter and summer. This is largely due to seasonal changes in the lives of birds. In this regard, according to their lifestyle, all birds can be divided into three groups: sedentary, nomadic and migratory.
After winter comes a revival in nature. With the arrival of spring, significant changes occur in the lives of birds. Migratory birds return from wintering grounds.
For life, birds choose areas with favorable conditions, organizing nesting in the same place year after year. Here the male begins to sing, luring the female, and notifying others that the place is occupied. Birds, when choosing their life partners, attach great importance to the color of their plumage. Therefore, males have brighter colors to attract females.
Many people choose a pair for one season. However, birds are known in which pairs form for a long period or for life. For example, storks, herons, swans and birds of prey.
After the pair is formed, a crucial period begins. In the life of birds, spring is the time for breeding, and then caring for the offspring. To do this, they begin nest-building, laying eggs and raising chicks.
Caring for offspring: a penguin protects a chick from a petrel
In wildlife you can observe very interesting moments from the life of birds. For example, bird markets are of great interest. A striking example of such social life is the mass nesting of birds in the north. Birds live in a colony and work together to protect their young from predators. Such collective life makes it possible to preserve offspring, protect themselves from predators, and thereby increase the life expectancy of birds.
Bird market in Kamchatka
After spring and summer come the first cold days. The life of animals and birds in the fall is aimed at preparing for the winter cold. Birds that cannot find food in the cold fly away to warm countries. It is generally believed that birds fly south. Bird ringing has shown that many of them fly to the west and southwest. The autumn flight of birds is extended over time. It lasts about three months.
The first snowfall in autumn causes anxiety among birds. The first changes in the way of life of birds are taking place. Sedentary birds switch to coarse, low-nutrient woody food - buds, shoots and needles. Many birds migrate for the winter closer to populated areas. Nomadic birds begin to appear.
Nomadic birds - waxwings
It is difficult for all living things in this harsh season of the year. The cold hinders the movements of birds. Lack of food and death of forest inhabitants are often observed. It is within our power to take care of our feathered friends and organize feeding. It’s not difficult to make a simple feeder and hang it out the window in the yard, garden or park. We will save many birds from hunger and help them survive until the first warm days of spring.
Sparrows and tits at the feeder
Birds will not remain in debt, because they bring great benefits to humans. The positive significance of birds in human life lies in the destruction of insects and rodents - agricultural pests. Such useful birds include all insectivores, such as tits, nuthatches and others. It is impossible not to say about woodpeckers, which eat harmful insects: bark beetles, click beetles, golden beetles, etc.
White-backed Woodpecker
Owls and owls are considered energetic hunters of mouse-like rodents. Birds of prey also destroy mice: buzzard, kestrel, harrier, etc.
Gray owl with prey
Birds are of great economic and commercial importance. Some birds provide tasty meat (hazel grouse, black grouse, wood grouse, ducks, etc.), while other birds provide valuable feathers (eiders, loons, geese).
Representatives of the chicken and anseriformes orders are domesticated. Poultry farming is a large livestock industry that supplies food.
Poultry meat is very nutritious and tasty. Chicken eggs are a valuable food product.
Chickens at a poultry farm
The importance of birds in nature is also very significant. Birds, as already mentioned, regulate the number of living organisms. Sometimes birds themselves serve as food for other animals, being a link in the food chain.
Without these animals, the seeds of many plants would not be distributed over significant distances. Pecking at various berries, they throw out intact seeds with droppings, often far from the place where they grew.
Sketching
Sketches are essential for beginning artists. Just a few strokes allow you to determine the movement and outline of the bird. There is no need to be afraid of imperfect sketches, because their purpose is to prepare the ground for further detailed elaboration.
Each person who undertakes to draw birds must use different possibilities. The first step is to study the drawn pictures of birds. They help to understand the structure of the feather, to anticipate how light and shadow are distributed.
Lesson topic: “Birds” 1. Head Wings Legs Tail Body Structure of a bird 2. - presentation
Lesson topic: “Birds” 1
Head Wings Legs Tail Body Structure of a bird 2
We answer the questions How are birds distinguished from other animals? Can all flying animals be called birds? Do birds swim? Are there flightless birds? What types of feathers are there? What do birds eat? 3
Some birds cannot fly at all. Penguins live mainly in water. Their wings have changed into flippers, with the help of which they “fly”, although not in the air, but in the water. 4
Large running birds, such as ostriches, also do not fly. They are too heavy to fly. 5
Owl The owl's feathers are fluffy and soft. They help her fly not fast, but almost silently. 6
Hawk The hawk's feathers are much shorter and lie close to the body, which allows it to move quickly. 7
Woodpecker The feathers in the woodpecker's tail help both feed and sleep. Its tail feathers are hard, long, strong and elastic. A woodpecker will perch on a pine tree, not on a branch, but directly on the trunk. It will cling to the bark with sharp claws and lean on its tail. Not a tail, but a real stand. 8
Why do birds need feathers? Only birds have feathers. No other animals have them! Bird feather is light and very strong. If birds didn't have light feathers, they wouldn't be able to fly. And in general, a bird cannot do without feathers. These are her “clothes”. Feathers save the bird from scratches and bruises, from cold and heat, from getting wet and dry, and make the surface of the bird smooth. They constantly renew their plumage. They will shed some of the old feathers and quickly put on new ones. It is easy to notice that different birds have different feathers. It depends on your lifestyle. 9
Feathers The flight feathers of the wings and the tail feathers of the tail play a major role in the flight of a bird. Cover feathers are the feathers that cover the entire body of a bird. They form a streamlined surface, facilitating the flight of the bird. DOWN feathers are soft and fluffy located under the outer feathers. Between them there is a lot of air, which does not conduct heat well. Down feathers protect birds from overheating and cooling. 10
Because birds spend a lot of energy when flying. They should weigh as little as possible. Their food should be rich in nutrients and easy to digest. eleven
Guess by their beaks what and who do these birds eat? Now let's check. Did you guess right? 12
1 group of birds is called granivores. Granivorous birds have a short and strong beak. They feed on hard seeds. nutcracker crossbill bullfinch 13
Group 2 of birds feeds on insects and are called INSECTIVORE. Insectivorous birds are distinguished by a thin, elongated beak with which they capture insects. They eat a wide variety of insects, looking for them on trees and other plants. 14
swallow cuckoo 15
starling tit 16
Group 3 – BIRDS OF PREADY. Birds of prey have a special beak structure that ends in a powerful hook, and toes that end in powerful claws. All this helps them capture and hold prey. They feed on rodents, other birds, hares, etc. 17
18
Eagles are snake hunters, and in the south live eagles that hunt monkeys. 19
Group 4 can eat fish. They are called fish-eating swans 20
heron gull 21
Group 5 is very unique: they can eat anything. They are called OMNIVORES. Crow 22
Jackdaw Soroka 23
Sunbirds (hummingbirds) drink flower juices. A tiny hummingbird can drink twice its own weight in nectar in a day 24
This is interesting. The pika runs along the trunk from bottom to top. She was named that way because she squeaks all the time. 25
Crossbills are the only birds that hatch their chicks in winter. 26
The smallest bird in Russia is the wren. The wren weighs 6 times less than the sparrow. The kinglet is small, but he has a crown. 27
Birds have a hard time in winter. They often go hungry. During snowstorms and severe frosts, many birds die from hunger. Birds die especially often at the end of winter, when almost all the food everywhere has been eaten. 28
Feed the birds in winter! Let flocks of people flock to your porch from all over, as if it were home. Their food is not rich, A handful of grain is needed, One handful is not scary They will have winter. 29
It’s hard to count how many of them are dying. It’s hard to see. But in our heart there is also warmth for the birds. thirty
How can we forget, They could have flown away, But they remained to spend the winter Together with the people. Train the birds to your window in the cold. So that we don't have to greet spring without songs. A. Yashin 31
Test: “Birds” 1) How to distinguish birds from other animals? a) by scales; b) along the tail; c) by feathers; 2) What kind of feathers do not exist? a) flight feathers; b) helmsmen; c) downy; d) brake. 3) What do birds not eat? a) fish; b) nectar; c) snails; d) shells. 4) Why do they say about a goose: “like water off a duck’s back”, and about a chicken: “wet like a chicken”? 32
The most peaceful bird. Drawing of a dove with a simple pencil
Using the example of a dove, you can consider how to draw a bird with a pencil.
This bird was not chosen by chance. The dove is depicted in school wall newspapers dedicated to Victory Day and May 1st. He is a symbol of peace and happiness. Newlyweds use this bird as decoration.
- The drawing begins by creating a basic outline that includes the wings, head, and torso. The head is outlined. An inclined line is drawn from it - the body (if the pigeon is flying, its tail is lowered down). The wings are indicated by a “tick”.
- The outline of the tail and the outline of the entire body are drawn. The paws will be in the form of short lines.
- The visible eye and beak of the bird are drawn.
- The contours of the plumage are outlined - on the wings and tail.
- The legs are drawn.
- The wings are divided into segments - this makes it easier to draw feathers.
Bird reproduction and development
Birds are dioecious. The reproductive organs of a male are 2 testes; in female birds, there is 1 left ovary and an oviduct.
The reproduction and development of birds, as well as that of reptiles, occurs on land.
What features can be noted in the reproduction of birds?
The breeding season of birds begins in the spring with the formation of pairs. Males attract the attention of the opposite sex with spring singing. After a pair is created, the process of bird reproduction or mating occurs.
Mating season of pigeons
The reproduction of birds and reptiles is similar in many ways. Fertilization in these classes of animals is internal, and reproduction occurs with the help of eggs.
A feature of bird reproduction is the formation of eggs covered with a hard shell. After fertilization, the development of the bird embryo begins, a shell of protein is formed around the yolk. In turn, the protein is covered with a subshell shell and a hard calcareous shell. As a result, an egg is formed. Let's get acquainted with the structure of a bird's egg in the figure.
The rapid growth and development of the bird embryo occurs only after the egg is laid and the animals begin incubation.
During the breeding season, many birds begin to build a nest for future chicks. Bird nesting structures can be primitive or can be complex structures. The shape and material used for construction are varied.
The female lays eggs in a nest, which are incubated by both parents in turn. In some species, such as chicken and duck, one female incubates the eggs. The incubation period for eggs can last from 13 days in small birds to 2 months in birds of prey.
According to the type of development, birds are divided into brood and nesting birds.
Breeding birds include cranes, waders, gulls, and swans. According to the type of development, domestic birds - geese, chickens, ducks - also belong to brood birds. Breeding birds include passerines, birds of prey, woodpeckers, and pigeons.
Rainbow bird. Drawing of a parrot with felt-tip pens
Step-by-step instructions for beginning artists will help you, step by step, to depict a bird that has absorbed the entire palette of colors.
- Two ovals are drawn with a simple pencil. The smaller upper oval is the head. The bottom one will be larger - this is the torso.
- Four stripes are drawn down from the large oval. This is the future tail.
- Wings are added. One is depicted on top of the oval (body) in the form of a large drop. The second, partially visible wing is drawn in the form of half a drop.
- The beak is drawn. It looks like a triangle with a curved top.
- The general image of the parrot is clarified. Auxiliary lines can be erased at this stage.
- You should “plant” the parrot on a branch. The branch is depicted as a wavy line. Paws in the form of small ovals on top of the branch. In this position they look like a human fist. The claws are being drawn in.
- The eye is drawn. A parrot's eye looks like several circles nested inside each other.
- The tail is detailed - the lines turn into pointed ovals.
- Now you can color the bird.
The Macaw parrot is most often red. The beak is yellow. You can add orange to the wings. And put rainbow colors on your tail! The last circle of the eye is painted over with black and a spot is left for highlight (the remaining circles are not painted).
Capturing the moment of flight
Let's take a seagull as a basis. The process itself is quite simple, even children can do it:
- A circle is drawn, the basis for the head and body, the lower and upper parts should be slightly sharp.
- The eyes and beak are drawn, then the outline of the circle is removed using an eraser.
- Draw the span of the wings and tail in flight mode. The wing placed on the right edge of the sheet will be larger than the left wing and in relation to the entire body.
- The paws folded together are completed, the hips are drawn using a line from the paw down and the wings.
- Everything is decorated with feathers and finally there is a tail.
- Errors and unnecessary contours are cleaned up.
- Shadows are drawn, the wings themselves are black and the lower part of the bird is darkened. There is also a shadow from the wings.
- The work is completed, let's evaluate our work.
This completes the first stage of mastering the wonderful world of birds in the fine arts. If the topic was interesting and aroused creative interest, it is worth continuing to study it and practice, improving your skills and results.
Summer bird. Drawing of a swallow with colored pencils
Swallows have been familiar to everyone since childhood. They build nests on country verandas and balconies of high-rise buildings. Probably many people have seen their chicks.
With the help of step-by-step instructions on how to draw a bird, the task will not seem difficult.
The main part of the swallow's body is no different from other birds. But the ponytail has a characteristic cut in the middle. The wings are also different - they are sharp and curved.
- Drawing begins with an image of a circle of the head. From the head, a body with a tail is drawn, reminiscent of a waving flag.
- The line indicates the division of the body into white and black. The bird's belly and part of its head are white.
- The unfolded wings are depicted in the shape of a sickle.
- A triangle is drawn - a beak and a black eye.
- The wings are being worked on - the plumage is indicated.
- In order to color a swallow, just a few pencils are enough: yellow for the beak, red for the color of the plumage in the lower part of the head, black for the rest of the part (except for the white part indicated by the border).
Dove of peace
When thinking about how to draw a bird for children, remember the dove - a fluttering creature with a flowering twig in its beak, which is a symbol of peaceful life.
Having outlined the oval body and the circle head, they are combined by adding a carved tail. The wings, open to the sides, can be compared in shape to an inverted trapezoid. The final stroke is to give the edges of the feathers fragmentation with zigzags.
Of course, it is impossible to cover all the inhabitants of heaven. Starting with one image and strengthening your skills, move on to the next example. Children will certainly enjoy this exciting pastime, which not only develops fine motor skills, but also expands their horizons and knowledge about the earth's fauna.
Night-bird. Drawing of an owl for the little ones
Children love to draw fairy-tale characters. This character is found in many cartoons, fairy tales, and educational programs. Probably every kid knows Aunt Owl from Winnie the Pooh.
- A large oval is drawn with a thin marker.
- Two large circles are drawn at the top of the oval - eyes. The owl is notable for the size of its eyes.
- In the middle of the circles, dots are drawn - pupils.
- The beak is depicted as a triangle.
- Ears are also drawn in the form of triangles. Tassels are added at the tips of the ears.
- The wings on the sides of the oval are in the form of droplets.
- The paws look like two branches with “fingers”.
- You can imitate plumage with waves all over the body or with many inverted “birds”.
- The body is colored with a pair of brown markers and the eyes with yellow.
This method is suitable for little ones. After all, all geometric shapes in the image of an owl are repeated.
The diversity of the class of birds is amazing material for a beginning artist. You can take your first steps into the wonderful world of birds!
Veils
The skin of birds is practically devoid of sebaceous and port glands. All that remains is the coccygeal gland, the secretion of which lubricates the feathers to protect them from moisture and increase aerodynamics.
Horny derivatives of the skin are feathers; they cover the body of birds, protecting and ensuring flight. There are contour and down feathers, which differ in structure and function.
