birds & snakes

bird species

• new world vultures, accipitridae (hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, buzzards, old world vultures), falconidae (falcons), secretary birds

bird info

• They may perceive UV light and have a visual friend of 250 degrees, 50 degrees of which is binocular

• Two planes of vision (binocular and monocular)

• In most, the sense of smell is poorly developed except in vultures

• Overgrowth of the upper beak is seen in raptors on a diet exclusively of day-old chicks

• Molting in vultures - affected by ambient temp which can speed it up or corticosteroids which may retard the progression

• Raptors use feet to capture prey, however, vultures do not need to capture live animals so their talons are blunt

bird reproduction system

• Many have two ovaries and two oviducts

• The use of organochlorines has been restricted since 1970s

• They can be affected by: salmonella, campylobacter infections and cannibalism

bird reproduction

• Vultures are conventionally dimorphic

• Breeding activity is stimulated in temperate regions by decreasing day length prior to increasing day length

rattlesnakes

• Rattlesnakes are ovoviviparous (give birth to live young after carrying eggs inside)

• Gestation length of rattlesnake: 5-6 weeks