Задание №10 — Чтение

Birds are distinguished from all other animals by their feathers. Some types of birds live alone most of the time. Other types are more social. They may sleep, fly, and nest in groups called flocks. Birds use different sounds to communicate with one another. For example, some baby chicks stop moving when their mother produces a danger call. They may also sing to announce that a certain patch of land belongs to them. Many types eat insects. Some water birds catch fish. Many other types eat plant material.

Birds are found almost everywhere on Earth. There are more than 10,000 types of birds. All birds have similar features. The loss of a complete bird species may be inevitable because they are too sensitive to rapid changes. Birds living on small islands, or in desert or mountainous regions, can be vulnerable to slight changes in climate, while even minor disruptions of forest habitats can affect the breeding habits and survival of others. In some regions, it is the hunting of birds, for sport or to trade their pelts, that is the greatest threat.

Birds have spread throughout all parts of Earth because of their ability to fly. They live in a great variety of habitats, including fields, forests, grasslands, deserts, marshes, islands, and the open ocean. The size of an area and the diversity of the habitats help determine the number of species found in a given area. Many birds migrate, or fly long distances between their winter and summer homes. For example, many European birds travel to Africa for the winter. This helps them find enough food year-round.

Every bird when it is seen for the first time brings a thrill of discovery. The spring migration is a fresh wonder every year. The surprise and delight of coming across a rarity and the difficulty of keeping it in view long enough to be sure of what it is help to make bird-watching an endless fascination. Bird-watching is a hobby that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. In bird clubs the membership ranges in age from young children to grandparents. Bird-watching can combine healthy outdoor activity with the pursuit of beauty and knowledge.

Some birds never move far from where they were born whereas others migrate and can travel huge distances in the process. Birds migrate from one summer season to the other. Although they take a lot of risk when they migrate, for many of them it significantly improves their chances of survival and allows them to raise more offspring in another region. Birds migrate to move from areas of low or decreasing resources to areas of high or increasing resources.

Birds and their eggs have been sources of food for humans since their origin and still are in most societies. With the rise of agriculture, birds became important to farmers. In their constant search for food, wild birds eat huge numbers of insects, weed seeds, and rodents. Insects, weeds, and rodents cut down the amount of food the farmer can harvest from field, garden, and orchard. Many people keep birds as pets. Small finches and parrots are especially popular. Zoological parks are a source of recreation for millions of people each year.

Migration is often annual. It is closely linked with the cyclic pattern of the seasons. It is most evident among birds, which have a highly efficient means of traveling swiftly over long distances. The migration of most birds is a yearly cycle. Not all birds migrate. Permanent residents do not migrate. They are able to find adequate supplies of food year-round. Short-distance migrants move only a short distance. Medium-distance migrants cover distances that span from one to several states. There are also long-distance migrants.