Bird, vertebrae (Gross, Low)

Structure List Cervical Vertebrae Notarium Synsacrum and pelvis Caudal vertebrae & pygostyle Higher Magnification View

The structure of the trunk skeleton of a bird correlates with its specializations for flight and bipedal walking. A long and flexible neck permits the head and beak to be used in many manipulative activities that the specialized forelimbs can no longer do. Many trunk vertebrae are fused to form the notarium, a firm fulcrum for wing action; others have united with the sacral vertebrae to form a solid synsacrum for the attachment of the pelvic girdle. The terminal caudal vertebrae have fused to form a pygostyle to which the large tail feathers attach.