This DVD from the Vertebrates series comprehensively introduces birds by means of various examples of indigenous, tropical and polar bird species. Among other things, it provides information on typical bird characteristics such as skeleton and bone structure, structure and function of the beak and feathers as well as the principle of light-weightness. Impressive close-ups of prepared bird bones as well as of a feather’s vane serve to illustrate these aspects. The adaptability of birds to the environments of air, land and water as well as to different kinds of food are shown by means of the examples of typical representatives of the species such as eagle and falcon, emu, duck, moorhen and kingfisher. Here, the pupils also learn about the relation between diet and shape of beak. The reproduction and breeding of birds is illustrated with impressive outdoor pictures of courtship and nest-building with different bird species, the hatching of a chick, the raising of grey herons up to the squabs’ first attempts at flying. Furthermore, the menu includes additional pictures as well as a tabular list of the different breeding times of altricial and precocial birds. Thus, this DVD offers flexibility and variety in the classroom and is especially suited for interactive learning.
