What is wingspan?

What is wingspan?

• A. Wingspan is the distance from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other wing when fully extended.
• B. Wingspan is the height of a bird when standing.
• C. Wingspan is the width of a bird's beak.
• D. Wingspan is the distance from head to tail.

Answer: (A)

Wingspan is the full width of a bird’s wings when they are spread as wide as possible, measured from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. This is different from the bird’s height, which is how tall it stands, or from body length, which would be head to tail. It also isn’t the width of the beak. Measuring wingspan by extending the wings gives a sense of overall size and how much wing surface the bird has for flight, which helps compare species and understand flight capabilities. Measurements are typically given in centimeters or meters for larger birds, and in inches for smaller ones. When estimating, aim for the maximum spread with the wings fully extended.