BirdsOrnithology is the study of birds

In a clade with dinosaurs!!

• Taxonomy–Kingdom Animalia–Phylum Chordata–Subphylum Vertebrata–Class Aves

General Characteristics Birds! Endotherms

**Warm blooded(endothermic)Metabolically regulate body temp

Horny billToothless, but maybe ridged

General Characteristics Cont.• Dioecious

–Provide extensive parental care• ^Lays Eggs• Molting

–Replacement of feathers

General Characteristics Cont.• Forelimbs modified into wings• **Syrinx – distinct for vocalization (song box)• **Hollow, lightweight bones (sometimes filled

with air!)• Heart with a completely divided ventricle (4

chambers)• ^Legs covered by scales!!(birds are related to

reptiles)• **Furculum (wishbone) – many muscles

attachments

General Characteristics Cont.• **Migrate

–Move to adapt to environment• Special adaptations for flight

Flight Adaptations• ^Feathered wings (these are

modified scales!)• ?^Quills that form a “mesh netting” to

keep wings extra light – is this abridge to the echidna?

• Light bones– Hollow air spaces inside

Types of Feathers• Contour feathers give the bird its characteristic smooth round shape. They

also give the bird its visual coloring and provide a first level of defense against physical objects, sunlight, wind and rain. They are very important.

• Down feathers are smaller and lack the barbules and their accompanying hooklets so they are not zipped together and do not look as neat. In fact they are soft and fluffy. They provide most of the insulation and are so good at this that mankind for many years collected down feathers from various birds to put into sleeping bags and jackets to help keep us warm.

• Semiplumes are half-way between a contour feather and a down feather. These occur between the contour feathers and help to supply insulation and a certain amount of form as well.

• Filoplumes are very small and have only a very few barbs at their tips. They are believed to have a sensory function, helping birds keep their feathers in order.

Types of FeathersDown Feather

(insulation)Contour Feather(flight, color, protection)

Plume(sensory)

Feathers

• **Preen Gland at base of tail secretes oil to keep them water proof - "like water off a duck's back”

• Preening is a behavior that replaces the oil on feathers, and repairs broken links on the vanes

Avian respiration and circulation

• ^*A four chambered heart prevents oxygen rich blood from mixing with oxygen poor blood - it is a double-loop

• **Air goes through the lungs (so very little expansion) into air sacs from air sacs into body upon exhalation.

• **Exhaling removes wastes and lowers body temperature.

Bird Digestion• Birds digest food quickly, they can't afford the

extra weight. • *They have no teeth, the breakdown of food

occurs in the gizzard - sometimes birds swallow rocks to assist this

• Feeding the young...mother birds regurgitate food stored in the crop to their babies

• Waste exits through the cloaca - and so do eggs

Bird Brain• Birds have an excellent sense of sight, but

most do not have a good sense of smell – eagles have ~100/20 vision

• **Many birds are intelligent and can solve problems/puzzles through thought

• **Birds can learn to “talk”, but really they are just mimicking sounds they hear

Bird BrainAdvanced!

Beaks and Feet• Highly adapted beaks and feet. Study of the beak

and the feet of a bird gives information about its lifestyle

• Beaks– Short and thick - seed cracking (robin)– Long and thin, slightly curved - eating nectar

(hummingbird)– Strong, chisel like - drilling (woodpecker)

Sharp, curved and pointed - tearing flesh (hawk)– Long and flattened - straining algae and plants (ducks)– Spear shaped - spearing fish (heron)

FEET/LEGS

– 3 toes in front, 1 behind - perching (robin)

– 2 toes in front, 2 behind - climbing (parrot)– Powerful curved talons - grasping prey

(hawk)– ^webbed - swimming (duck)– Long and thin - wading (heron)– Thick and stout - running (ostrich)

Birds are classified by the beaks and their feet. There are many bird orders, but here are some of the more common orders.

• Order Passeriformes - songbirds (bluebirds, robins, sparrow)

• Order Falconiformes - birds of prey (hawk, falcon, eagle)

• Order Anseriformes - swimming birds (duck, goose, swan)

• Order Galliformes - fowl (pheasant, turkey)• Order Ciconiformes - wading birds (heron,

flamingo)

Courtship Behavior and Reproduction

• ^*Birds often engage in elaborate courtship behavior for mating purposes. These include:– Singing– Dancing and posturing– Preening (each other)– Bright colorful displays– Architecture!

• **Some birds mate for life, and often both parents raise young.

RAISING THE YOUNG!

• Some birds incubate eggs for a long time - chicks are born with feathers and can walk/swim (ducks)

• Some birds incubate eggs a short time - chicks are born featherless and helpless (robins)

BEHAVIOR (other)• Birds do not normally have a good sense of smell,

except in carrion eaters (vultures) - a baby bird that falls out of a nest can be put back in, the mother probably won't know the difference (Brown headed Cowbird)

• Bird poop you find on your car is actually a mixture of urine and solid waste - birds cannot store waste – can’t afford extra weight!

• Some birds can learn to mimic speech, like a parrot - but they can't actually communicate