• What are aerial animals?
• Types of aerial animals
• Characteristics of aerial animals
• Examples of aerial animals

We explain what aerial animals are and how they are classified. Also, what are its characteristics and some examples.

Most of the birds are flying animals, like flamingos.

What are aerial animals?

Aerial animals are those that can fly or move through the air by their own means using different body adaptations, such as wings or feathers. Your ability to move around air does not mean that your habitat be there, but they combine several territories to survive.

Some airborne animals have wings that allow them to move through the air and continue to fly for a long time (by controlling their address, speed and height). Others move through the air but with less control of their flight (so they cannot travel very long distances). There are also aerial animals that can glide, despite not having wings, and they do so thanks to the anatomical shape of their body.

For some aerial animals, flight is the only way to get around. However, within this group there are also different species that have the ability to fly, but this action is conditioned by the anatomical structure and the need for survival of each species. For example, some can fly great distances (to migrate and avoid temperatures very low during winter or to search food) and others can barely move for a few moments in the air (to defend themselves against their predators or hunt their prey).

Types of aerial animals

Flying ants develop wings only in their reproductive season.

Aerial animals can belong to the following groups:

• Birds. Are Vertebrate animals warm-blooded, characterized by being bipedal, capable of making small jumps and, sometimes, walking. Birds have a light skeleton, wings and their body is covered with feathers (defining characteristic of birds) that provide protection against low temperature, wind, humidity and the intense sun. The bodily adaptations that allow them to fly are their bones lightweight, specialized feathers (which increase the surface of the wing), very powerful pectoral muscles and circulatory and respiratory systems that allow them to maintain a high metabolism. While the vast majority of birds have the ability to fly, there are some exceptions, such as penguins and ostriches, that do not fly.
  All birds are oviparous, that is, they reproduce through eggs that the females lay and hatch until the young are born.In addition, they all have beaks instead of mouths, and their diet is very varied, depending on the species.
• Insects Are Invertebrate animals, that is, they have an exoskeleton that provides support to the body. They usually have three pairs of legs, two pairs of wings, and antennae, which serve as the main sensory organ through which they experience touch, smell, hearing and the sense of orientation. Their wings are located on the thorax and are composed of light membranes, although in some cases they present colors. Some insects do not use their wings to fly, but to attract the female during courtship. There are also others in which the wings are not even present.
  The reproduction of this group is mainly oviparous and sexual, although there are some cases of asexual reproduction. As for their diet, they can feed on vegetables, other smaller insects and even debris and waste.
• Mammals. The only mammal capable of flight is the bat or chiroptera, a warm-blooded vertebrate animal with four limbs. In addition, it has a thin elastic skin membrane between its extremities, called the patagium, which allows it to sustain itself during flight and move through the air.
  Bats are viviparous, so they do not lay eggs, but their young develop in the female's womb until they are born. As for his feedingThey feed mainly on fruits and insects.
• Gliding animals. It is a group of animals that, although they do not have the ability to fly or perform displacements controlled, they can travel certain short distances, taking advantage of air currents as a means of transport. They are characterized by being small and light animals, with little body fat, and by having an extension of the skin (similar to that of bats) that they use as a “parachute”. An example is flying squirrels, which can jump through trees and glide until they reach another nearby plant. It is also possible to find examples of gliding reptiles, such as some species of lizards and even snakes.

Characteristics of aerial animals

The bat is the only mammal capable of sustained and controlled flight.

Aerial animals are mainly characterized by being able to fly using their wings, through the momentum in the air. These wings are covered with feathers in the case of birds, and are made up of silky membranes in the case of insects. There are also some animals that have wings and cannot fly.

In addition to wings, the bodies of aerial animals have other modifications that allow them to fly and move through the air. For example, birds have light skeletons, feathers (which increase the surface of the wings), strengthened pectoral muscles and cardiovascular systems that allow them to have a high metabolism (according to the high energy consumption during the flight).

The kind of reproduction In general, it is oviparous, that is, by means of eggs that are deposited in the external environment (such as on the ground, in the heights of trees or on the banks of the Water). The exception is bats, which are mammals and therefore viviparous. Regarding their habitat, aerial animals do not inhabit exclusively in the air, but also live on land or in water. That is why they can feed on seeds, fruits, worms and carrion, among others.

Examples of aerial animals

The toucan is noted for its thick, long and colorful bill.

Some examples of aerial animals are:

• The hummingbird. Also known as "hummingbird", it is the smallest bird in the world, within the group of vertebrates. Their wings can move between twenty and one hundred times per second and, when the male wants to impress a female, he can beat his wings up to two hundred times per second. It is the only species capable of flying in all directions and even levitate in place.
• The cockatoo. It is considered a very intelligent bird and is distinguished by its peculiar tuft of yellow feathers. Presents a anatomy similar to that of the parrot, due to the shape of the beak and its legs, but its feathers are white. It lives in Australia, Indonesia, Puerto Rico and New Zealand. Its type of reproduction is monogamous, it stays in pairs in the same nest for more than four years and it likes to fly in groups.
• The Eagle. It is the largest predatory bird that with its powerful claws and strong muscles can catch prey of the same weight and take flight. It can fly up to two hundred kilometers per hour and, thanks to its excellent vision, it can see its prey from two thousand meters away. Females are larger than males, their type of reproduction is monogamous and they stay together for several years.
• The toucan. It is considered a exotic species and it is noted for its thick, long and colorful beak, which it uses to defend itself and to feed on tropical fruits, insects, lizards and eggs. It is native to tropical areas of America and it is characterized by being sedentary and living all its life in the same area, that is, it is not a migratory bird. I came as a couple (he is monogamous) or in flocks of about six members.
• The flamenco. It is a bird that is distinguished by its long legs and its long, curved neck. It lives in tropical areas, near salty waters. The color of their plumage varies according to the species, but pink predominates. It feeds on algae, larvae, insects, crustaceans, mollusks and small fish. He is very sociable and communicates with his own species (especially with their young) through sounds nasal.
• The ladybug. It is an insect of the group of arthropods, of type invertebrate, also known as "vaquita de San Antonio". It has a kind of shell that turns out to be, in fact, a pair of thick, brightly colored wings (red, orange or yellow, with black spots) that cover and protect its functional wings. During the winter, it is usually grouped by ten or fifteen individuals to protect themselves from the cold. It feeds on plants, mites, aphids and mealybugs, among others.
• The flying ant. The ant is a very sociable insect that usually lives in communities numerous and organized, underground. Flying ants are those that develop wings only in their reproductive season (act called "nuptial flight"). It feeds on fruits, plants, rotten meat and mainly on a type of fungus that grows through the leaves it collects.
• The moth. It is an invertebrate insect that has wings covered with scales. It belongs to the group of "nocturnal butterflies" but has a smaller build and is less showy than a butterfly. It is characterized by crossing a metamorphosis complete, that is, it passes through four stages throughout its life: that of an egg, that of a larva, that of a cocoon and finally that of an adult in the form of a moth (or night butterfly). During adulthood, it feeds on the nectar of flowers and lives for a short time, just a few weeks.