Bird

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File:Eagle´s Shadow.jpg

An Assassin's coat mimicking the shape of an eagle

A bird is an animal in the class Aves, characterized by feathers, beaks, and the laying of eggs, among other traits. Many of them have wings and durable, lightweight skeletons which allow them to fly, one of their most signature qualities. They vary tremendously in sizes and colours and can be found all around the world, totalling some 10,000 different species.^[1]

History

In Ming-era China, imperial soldiers trained small birds to serve as makeshift alarm bells that could alert them to nearby intruders. These birds would be planted inside portable cages and carried by guards on patrol. Because anything from abrupt movement, to the explosion of firecrackers, to the whiz of noise darts and throwing knives could set off their loud chirping, individuals seeking to elude detection had to cautiously navigate around them.^[2] While escaping from the Maijishan Grottoes in 1526, the Assassin Shao Jun witnessed one of these caged birds foil the escape attempt of another prisoner, who was promptly shot dead by the guards.^[3]

Examples of birds

Birds of prey

Bald eagle
(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

Black-crowned night heron
(Nycticorax nycticorax)
Bonelli's eagle
(Aquila fasciata)
Cockatiel
(Nymphicus hollandicus)
Peregrine falcon
(Falco peregrinus)
Golden eagle
(Aquila chrysaetos)
Hooded crow
(Corvus cornix)