Courtesy Northsong Wild Bird Rehabilitation

Air is made up of several things , but one of the primary elements in air is called oxygen . Oxygen is needed for our bodies to function properly . Oxygen helps keep our organs like our heart , brain , and muscles ( along with many others ) healthy . So how does oxygen get into our body ? Do birds use oxygen ?

When we take a deep breath in , the oxygen we breath goes down into our lungs . As the lungs fill up with air and oxygen , they expand slightly – like blowing up a balloon . The oxygen will then leave the lungs and enter our bloodstream , where it will be delivered all over our body ! Waste products will enter the lungs when the oxygen leaves ; then , when you breath out , you blow out the waste products ! When you breath out , the lungs also deflate slightly , similar to when you let air out of a balloon . Every breath in and out we take means our lungs are expanding and deflating .

Birds also have lungs , but they have a body part humans do not have – air sacs ! Air sacs hold oxygen and are an important part of the respiratory system . Most birds have nine air sacs spread throughout their body . These air sacs can hold air , allowing birds to have a more complex respiratory system than humans . Air sacs make it easier for birds to fly , dive for fish , and more ! How cool is that ?

Photos courtesy Quin Warsaw . Quin is a teen nature and wildlife photographer who lives in Northwest Arkansas . He has photographed almost 200 species of birds in Arkansas . See more of his photos at SnappysView . ShootProof . com or on his Facebook page @ SnappysView .

Test your knowledge with a

1 . What is one of the main things we breath ? a . Oxygen b . Gold c . Uranium d . Copper

2 . What organ does air flow to when we breath in ? a . Legs b . Eyes c . Lungs d . Feet

3 . How many air sacs do most birds have ? a . 3 b . 4 c . 6 d . 9

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Answers : 1 ( a ) 2 ( c ) 3 ( d ) www . OfficialKidsMag . com • November 2024 • 29