Page 83 - The World of Animals

SOVEREIGNS OF THE SKIES:

BIRDS

Do they not see the birds suspended in mid-air up in the
sky? Nothing holds them there except Allah. There are
certainly Signs in that for people who have faith. (Surat
an-Nahl: 79)

Like everyone else, you have most probably wanted to fly like a bird.

Looking at birds, you may think flying is easy, but it is not as easy as
it seems!

A bird uses great energy when it takes wing because it has to lift all
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its body with its tiny wings. Yet, once it is up in the air, Allah has made

it easy for it to remain aloft without expending too much effort. Birds
can fly for a long time by allowing themselves to rely on the wind. This

way, they hardly tire since they consume very little energy. When the
effect produced by the wind diminishes, they begin to flap their wings

again. By means of this feature Allah has given birds, they can cover
very long distances and migrate to remote destinations.

There are bird species that can cover distances between 1000 to
40000 kilometres (621 and 24840 miles). Considering that it is 40000

kilometres (24840 miles) around the earth, you can conceive better the
long distances covered by birds. Passing over the oceans, they have no