For example, small birds are equipped with special defensive mechanisms.
Literal
For-example, small-bird [topic-は] special defense-device [object-を] equip-ている.
備える ('to equip, prepare, be furnished with') in the ~ている resulting-state form: 備えている = 'is equipped with, is furnished with.' A stative reading. 防御装置 is a compound noun: 防御 ('defense') + 装置 ('device, apparatus').