The distinguishing characteristic of all birds is that of _____.
wings
feathers
flying
laying eggs
two legs
feathers
Select 2 that apply.
What characteristics are common to all members of the mammals?
mammary glands
lay eggs
can make its own food
take care of their young for a long time
hair at some point during their lives
mammary glands
take care of their young for a long time
The distinguishing characteristic of all birds is feathers.
To arrive at this answer, we can eliminate the other options one by one by considering their exceptions.
- Wings: While birds do have wings, some other animals like bats also have wings, so wings cannot be the characteristic that exclusively defines birds.
- Flying: Not all birds are capable of flying. Some, like penguins, ostriches, and emus, have wings but are flightless. Therefore, flying cannot be the characteristic that sets birds apart.
- Laying eggs: While the majority of birds do lay eggs, there are a few exceptions. For example, certain species of birds known as brood parasites, such as the cuckoo bird, lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. Therefore, laying eggs alone cannot be the distinguishing feature.
- Two legs: This characteristic is not unique to birds, as many other animals like mammals also have two legs (such as humans). Therefore, having two legs is not the characteristic that defines birds.
By process of elimination, we are left with only one option: feathers. All birds have feathers, which are unique to avian species and not found in any other group of animals. Thus, feathers are the distinguishing characteristic of all birds.