Why do birds and mammals have a similar body temperature?
Birds and mammals do not have a similar body temperature. Birds are warm-blooded animals with a high metabolic rate and a body temperature that is close to 40 degrees Celsius. Mammals, on the other hand, are warm-blooded animals with a lower metabolic rate and a body temperature that ranges between 36.5 and 38 degrees Celsius. This difference in body temperature is due to the different ways that birds and mammals regulate their internal heat production. Birds have a higher surface area to volume ratio than mammals, which means that they lose heat more easily. To compensate for this, birds have a higher metabolic rate, which generates more internal heat. Mammals have a lower surface area to volume ratio than birds, which means that they lose heat less easily. To compensate for this, mammals have a lower metabolic rate and can store more heat.