How to Calculate the Wingspan of a Bird

The animal kingdom is overwhelmingly vast. Biologists try to make sense of the immense number of species by classifying and categorizing them, often on the basis of physical features. In birds, wingspan is one such feature that helps distinguish separate bird species, as well as individual birds within a species. The process for calculating wingspan is a straightforward one, but requires the utmost accuracy to conform to the standards of scientific research.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Collect a live or dead bird specimen for analysis.

   • 2

     Place the bird on a flat surface, such as a lab counter.

   • 3

     Hold the outer joints of the bird and gently pull the wings to their full extension.

   • 4

     Use a tape measure to measure the distance from the tip of the left-most feather to the right-most feather. This is the wingspan.