Bird anatomy Birds have a four-chambered heart, in common with mammals, and some reptiles (mainly the crocodilia). This adaptation allows for an efficient nutrient and oxygen transport throughout the body, providing birds with energy to fly and maintain high levels of activity. A ruby-throated hummingbird's heart beats up to 1200 times per minute (about 20 beats per second). Many birds possess a muscular pouch along the esophagus called a crop. The crop functions to both soften food and regulate its flow through the system by storing it temporarily. The size and shape of the crop is quite variable among the birds. Members
Birds of the Danube Delta Birds of the Danube Delta Following an almost two-decade (1951–1970) research of the Danube Delta territory, 274 bird species were identified of which 176 were brooding (sedentary and migratory) and 98 non-brooding ones (winter, passage, erratic, and accidental birds). The species of brooding birds occurring in the Danube Delta were classified into 12 main biotopes, the classification criterion being represented by the nesting place where they show the greatest relative density. As to their dynamics, the brooding birds include: 44 sedentary species and 132 migratory ones. The great number of migratory species is explained by the optimal conditions of nesting