Daniel Jordan 
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — Every few years, a strange idea starts circling through Simi Valley classrooms: the claim that birds breathe—or worse, fart—through the same opening. It’s back again, spreading from playground conversations to science projects.
So let’s help parents out. Here’s what’s true, what’s not, and why it’s actually a great opportunity to teach kids how science—and curiosity—really work.
One Opening, Many Jobs
Birds have a single external opening called the cloaca. It’s a multitasker. It handles waste, egg-laying, and mating. Because it serves several systems, students often assume it’s also where air goes in and out. It isn’t.
Birds breathe through their nares—the small nostrils near the base of the beak. Air travels through the trachea into the lungs and a series of air sacs that keep oxygen moving in one continuous direction. This design is so efficient that scientists study it to understand airflow and endurance.
In other words, birds exhale the same way we do—through their lungs, not their back ends.
Why Birds Don’t Fart
Farts happen when gas builds up in the intestines. In mammals, gut bacteria break down food slowly, creating methane and sulfur. Birds don’t have that kind of bacteria, and their food passes through in under an hour. There’s no time—or chemistry—for gas to form.
If a bird ever makes a sound that seems suspicious, it’s usually feathers, wings, or mimicry. Birds are excellent impressionists, not farters.
A Teachable Moment
3This myth is a reminder of how easily stories spread—and how fun science can be when kids start asking “how” instead of just “what.” The best part? It’s an easy lesson for parents and teachers to turn into discovery: research, verification, and critical thinking.
Learning how a bird’s respiratory system works also opens a door to wonder. From the red-tailed hawks we often see around town to the thousands of sparrows that dart through our parks, every flight is powered by one of the most advanced breathing systems in nature.
What Parents Can Say
When the topic comes up again—and it will—there’s a simple answer:
“Birds don’t fart. They breathe through their beaks, not their behinds. And that’s one of the reasons they fly so well.”
Simi Valley’s students are full of curiosity. That’s a good thing. The next time this myth takes off, meet it with the same energy our city’s educators bring to every classroom: a mix of humor, accuracy, and pride in learning.
