Bats:
1. Mammals: Bats are classified as mammals, which means they share certain mammalian traits such as having fur, giving birth to live young, and nursing them with milk produced by mammary glands.
2. Forelimbs Modified into Wings: Bats' forelimbs are modified into wings, enabling them to fly. However, their wings are composed of skin stretched between elongated finger bones, making them different from the wings of birds.
3. Echolocation: Most bat species use echolocation to navigate and locate prey. They emit high-frequency sounds and interpret the echoes that bounce back to them, creating a "sound picture" of their surroundings.
Birds:
1. Aves Class: Birds belong to the Aves class of vertebrates, characterized by features like feathers, beaks, laying hard-shelled eggs, and possessing a lightweight skeletal system.
2. Feathers: Birds have feathers, which are complex structures made of keratin and arranged in a specific pattern. Feathers provide insulation, waterproofing, and enable flight.
3. Endothermy: Birds are endothermic, meaning they can generate their body heat internally, allowing them to maintain a relatively constant body temperature regardless of the external environment.
4. Beaks: Birds possess beaks, which are modified jaws covered with a horny sheath. Beaks vary in shape and size depending on the bird species and their feeding habits.
In summary, bats and birds have wings, but they belong to different branches of the tree of life due to their distinct evolutionary lineages, biological characteristics, and adaptations. Bats are mammals with fur, give birth to live young, and use echolocation, while birds are vertebrates characterized by feathers, beaks, and endothermy.