Last updated on October 15th, 2022 at 03:01 pm
Bird bones are known for being hollow, but are they also fragile? You would think a hollow bone might break easily.
Bird bones do not break easily. Although many bones in a bird’s skeleton are hollow, the bone material is also very dense, making them difficult to break. In fact, a bird’s skeleton weighs about the same as a mammal’s skeleton of the same size. They are hollow simply to make room for air sacs.
Why Bird Bones Don’t Break Easily
Bird skeletons include hollow bones, but they weigh about the same as the skeletons of similarly-sized mammals. They are less fragile than you might think.
This is because bird bone material is so dense, and many of the bones are rounded.
Rounded tubes are generally harder to break than flat objects due to how pressure is dispersed, and denser bones are also more difficult to snap or crush.
So, bird skeletons are full of air, but where they do have bone, it’s very stiff and dense.
You can imagine bird bones as stiff tubes with hard supporting beams reaching across them at various angles.
This is distinctly different from the solid but softer bones you see in mammals.
Leading Causes of Bone Breaks in Birds
When bird bones do break, it’s usually due to animal attacks or falls. Perching birds do not fall often, but when they do, it’s likely due to problems with the feet or toes.
Breaks are more likely to happen in the event of a fall or an attack if a bird has an underlying health condition that makes the bones weak, like nutritional deficiencies.
When breaks happen, the bird needs immediate medical attention to avoid permanent dysfunction. In the wild, a broken bone often leads to death.
What Happens When a Bird Does Break Its Bones?
Because of how bird bones are structured, they don’t break as cleanly as a mammal’s bones do.
When they break, they splinter, and the supporting beams on the inside of the bone are let loose as sharp little objects that can puncture internal organs.
This is why you should never feed a chicken bone to a dog; the bone will shatter in the dog’s mouth if it breaks.
And then the pieces that result from the break can puncture the dog’s throat or mouth.
It’s rare to see a bird with a broken wing bone because any bone break that does happen in the wings results in a very serious injury.
Often, this keeps the bird from being able to fly.
Without the power to fly, most birds will be left so vulnerable to predators that they die very quickly.
Broken legs are more common to see in birds, as many of them can still get around and survive with just one leg.
This is especially seen in shorebirds who don’t rely on their feet and legs to perch.
Repairing Broken Bones in Birds
The best thing for a bird with a broken bone is the care of an avian veterinarian or licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
They will set the bone for optimal healing while reducing the risk of infection and checking for any associated injuries caused by the broken bone.
If you have or find a bird with a broken bone, you can help the bird by relocating the bird to a safe place with no predators.
It should be somewhere warm and comfortable, like under a heat lamp; this will discourage shock from setting in.
If the bird is bleeding, consider using corn flour or baking soda to slow down the bleeding.
You can also apply pressure to slow bleeding, but be careful not to press so hard as to further injure the bird.
Antibiotic ointment is a wise choice in the case of an open wound.
Be extremely careful when handling a bird with a broken bone.
You can attempt to create a splint out of a cotton swab or piece of cardboard.
But be aware that wrapping anything around the leg can cause disruption to circulation and lead to further injury.
It’s best to get in contact with a professional as soon as you can so that you can follow their instruction.
A veterinarian may place a bird with a broken bone in a cast while treating the pain or discomfort. Sometimes, surgery is necessary to set the bone and remove splinters.
Unfortunately, some breaks are so severe and untreatable that the veterinarian may suggest euthanasia.
Why Bird Bones Are Hollow
The reason why bird bones are hollow is that they are pneumatized.
This means that air sacs like what’s present in the lungs are also present in the bones, and they fill up with oxygen when the bird is inhaling or exhaling.
This extra air allows birds to take in more oxygen and exert themselves more than they would be able to if they relied solely on their lungs, especially at high altitudes.
How Birds Are Built for Flight
Birds have tough skeletons that do well taking off, flying, and landing. The bird’s leg bones are the heaviest, which gives them a low center of gravity ideal for flying.
These bones are especially durable, which makes take-off and landing possible.
Bird skeletons are filled with air sacs, but they are not necessarily any lighter because of this.
However, they are more capable of persevering at high altitudes than mammals who weigh the same. This is because they are capable of taking in more oxygen.
Are Birds the Only Animals With Hollow Bones?
Hollow bones are unique to birds, but it’s interesting to note that they are not unique to flying birds. For example, ostriches also have hollow, honeycomb-like bones.
This makes them capable of taking in more oxygen and expending more energy.
Bird ancestors also had hollow bones, whether or not they flew, including many land-based dinosaurs. They, too, had pneumatic bones filled with air sacs.
Although they did not all need them for high-altitude living, they could use them to reduce energy expenditure while living on the ground.