Ch.

ALTAF HUSAIN Jhang, Pakistan

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BIRDS & MAMMALS

OSTEOLOGY
BIRDS MAMMALS

SKULL: -

1. Skull: Skull is kinetic that is due to Skull is not kinetic. Mammals have interpariental
moveable maxilla birds have not bone.
interparietal bone
2. The bones of skull so tightly Their bones of skull have clear demarcations.
packed that they seem one.
3. Bones of skull are spongy it keeps Bones of skull are hard and have no spongy space.
brain cool during flight and are
connected to auditory tube.
4. Birds have one occipital condyle. Mammals have two occipital condyle.

FACIAL BONES: -

5. Birds have three turbinate bones Mammals have three turbinate bones but have not
but have and extra bone, quadrate extra bone.
bone.

VERTIBRAE: -

6. General vertebral formula is General vertebral formula is C7T18 L6 S5 Cy15-

 C14 t,L-S14 Cy 3-5 chicken have B
coxygeal vertebral.
7. Maximum movement if found in Mammals have very little little movement.
birds.
8. Lumber and sacral fused to for Sacral vertebrae are fused.
synsacrum.
9. In birds first one, two, three In mammals first one to three are fused and last
cocygeal vertebrae are fused to are free.
form pygostyle which used to
change direction of flight.

RIBS: -

10. In birds each rib is comprised of In mammals each rib consists of single piece.
two units which are having little
movement, named as vertebral
and sternal portion.
11.. First rib is floating in some birds In mammals last one or two are floating.
2nd is also single. They are
single.
STERNUM: -

12. In birds the sternum is highly In mammals sternum is simple and consist of
modified, it is huge and very pieces called sternebrae.
extensive known as keel or rostral
bone.

APPENDICULAR SKELETION

13. Shoulder girdle comprised of Clavicle is absent in domestic animals and is

coracoids, scapula and clavicle. found in those who use arm for catching.
14. Clavicle of both side join to form, Mammals have very short almost rudimentary
necklace, also called wish bone, clavicle. Only found in animals which use fore
technically called furcula. limbs for catching.

ARM: -

15. It is formed by humerus, most Bone marrow is found in humerus in animals.

tough, strong bone in animal
kingdom; don’t contain bone
marrow in birds.
16. It is connected to air sacs of body. It is not connected to air sacs and has not air
Called pneumatic bone. spaces.

FORE ARM:-

17. Ulna is stronger than radius in In mammals radius is very well developed.
 birds. It is very well developed.
MANUS
18. Carpal bones are only two in birds In mammals carpal bones are 6-8 in number.
Digits are three phalanges are five.

HINDE LIMB:-

19. Tibia is longest bone of birds. Mammals have a prominent fetlock and fibula.
Small fetlock
Small fibula
No tarsal bone.
20. Meta carpal bone is one by the Meta carpal bones are generally five in number.
fusion of four bone digits are four
phalanges are eleven.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
BIRDS MAMMALS

21. Birds have no lips cheeks and Mammals have lips cheeks and teeth.
teeth but have beak.

TONGUE: -

22. Triangular in almost all birds and

horny in structure.
23. Muscles tissues are very less then
mammals.
24. The movement of tongue is due to
the muscular movement of hyoid
Mammal's tongue has more muscle tissues.
The movement of tongue is due to tongue
muscles.
 bone.

ESOPHAGOUS: -

25. In birds esophagus has a Mammal's esophagus has no diverticulum.

diverticulum, called crop.
26. Birds have two compartments of Mammals have multiple stomach but it varies in
stomach called proventriculus group e.g. ruminants, carnivores.
(glandular) and gizzard (muscular).

SMALL INTENSTINE: -

27. They have two bile ducts and two They have one bile duct and one pancreatic duct
pancreatic ducts open which open independently in duodenum at
independently open at the end of anterior end.
duodenum.

LARGE INTESTINE: -

28. Birds have two cecum all the three Animals have one cecum. Mammals have two
systems of life have same opening independent opening called vaginal opening and
called cloacae. anal opening.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
 BIRDS MAMMALS

29. The birds have two sound box The mammals have only one sound box called
called larynx and syrnx. Sound is larynx.
produced in syirnx and modified in
larynx.
30. In birds tracheal rings are In mammal's tracheal ring are ‘C’ shaped.
complete rings.
31. In birds body cavity is continuous The mammals have two cavities abdominal and
as it does not have diaphragm. thoracic cavity separated diaphragm.
32. The birds have both lungs static In mammals right lung is floating and left one is
static.
33. No epiglottis. This makes Mammals have epiglottis.
aspiration of found more likely and
produces the great expulsion of air
that accompanies a bird scream.
 CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
BIRDS MAMMALS

34. In birds heart is between the lobes In birds heart is present between the lungs.
of liver.

35. Birds have sinus Venous. Mammals do not have sinus Venous.

36. In bird's one poster vena cava are In mammals two posterior vena cava are
present. present.
37. In birds pulmonary vein is one. In mammals 4-8 pulmonary veins are present.

38. In birds aorta take right turn. In mammals aorta take left turn.
39. A renal shunt where venous blood In mammals blood first pass through liver.
circulating in the lower
gastrointestinal treat and the
caudal extremities may pass
directly through the kidneys prior is
being filtered by the liver.

URINARY SYSTEM
 BIRDS MAMMALS

40. Birds have not urinary bladder Mammals have urinary bladder.

41. Birds have no pelvis in kidney. Mammals have pelvis in Kidneys

INTEGUMENT

42. Birds have no hair but have Mammals have hairs.

feathers

REPRODUCT SYSTEM
MALE

BIRDS MAMMALS

43. The testes in birds are intra The testes in mammals are extrabdominal.
 abdominal, extraperitonial and are
Beam shaped.

44. The testes are located in posterior The tests are located in prepubic
part of body. Region except in dog and boar.
45. Birds have no secondly sex gland All mammals have secondary sex bland.
except ostrich.
46. Birds have no independent urinary Mammals have independent urinary and
and reproductive system. reproductive system.

FEMALE REPRODUTIVE SYSTEM

BIRDS MAMMALS

47. The left side is well developed than In mammals both sides are well developed.
right side.
48. Fertilization takes place in Fertilization takes place in general in uterus.
infundibulum
 EAR

BIRDS MAMMALS

49. Birds have no external pina. Mammals have external pina.

50. The birds have a single bone in Mammals have a three bone in middle ear called
middle ear called collumala. stapes, incus and malleus.

51. Birds develop a canal by the Mammals have external pina to catch the sound.
direction of feathers.

EYE

BIRDS
 MAMMALS

52. Birds have disc like eye ball. Mammals have oval shaped eye ball.

53. Eye lashes absent in birds Eye lashes present in mammals.

54. Birds have three eye lids, Third Mammals have two eyelids.
one is nictitating membrane.

55. Birds have a bone in sclera called Mammals have not bone in sclera.
ossa scleroidae.

56. Birds have more than one pectin Mammals have one pectin.
but nocturnal birds have no pectin.

57. Sellary muscles are striated in Cillary muscles are nonstriated in mammals.
bids.

58. Birds have only true sinus, called Mammals have frontal sinus, Nasal sinus and
infraorbital sinus. sphenoidal sinus.

59. A choanal slit. This is the natural True lymph nodes are present in mammals.
opening between the nares / sinus,
and the roof of the mouth.

60. Birds have ability to store extra Mammals can not do so.
calcium in bones to lay eggs.

61. Birds have ability to lay eggs

whether infertile or fertile.
62. The ability of bones to heal rapidly, The bones in mammals heal slowly.
especially in young birds.

63. Thymus gland is found in neck Thymus gland is found in thoracic region in
region in birds. mammals