Avian Comparative Anatomy 🟢

Galliformes

_____ - chickens, pheasants, & turkeys

Anseriformes

______ - ducks, geese, & swans

Psittiformes

_____ - cockatoo, conure, macaw, & parrots

Falconiformes & Strigiformes

_____ - eagle, falcon, hawk, & owls

Passeriformes

_____ - canary, finch, crow, raven, warblers, etc

1. symmetrical vs asymmetrical vanes

2. flight

3. thermoregulation

4. sexual dimorphism

5. portection

What are the feather types?

1. barb

2. barbules

3. hooklets

What are parts of the microanatomy of the feather?

preening

Grooming or combing the feather components

primary

The _____ feather is attached to the manus

antebrachium & brachium

The secondary feather is attached to the _____

bones of digit # 1

What is the alula composed of?

prevents stalling in flight

What is the function of the alula?

fused

The skull has multiple _____ sites

notarium

Fused thoracic vertebrae

synsacrum

Fused os coxae & sacral vertebrae

manus

Reduced # of digits & fused bony components

carpometacarpus

Fused carpal bones & metacarpal bones

tarsometatarsus

Fused tarsal bones & metatarsal bones

pygostyle

Fused caudal vertebrae

1. fusion of skull bony sutures

2. single occipital condyle

What are the unique features of the avian skull?

rhinotheca

Dorsal beak - _____

gnathotheca

Ventral beak - _____

1. dorsal beak - rhinotheca

2. ventral beak - gnathotheca

3. quadrate bone

4. palatine bone

What are the parts of the beak?

stapes

Single middle ear ossicle= _____ in birds

1. coracoid

2. furcula

3. scapula

What are the 3 bones involved in the triosseal canal?

urcula

_____ - fused clavicles in avian species

supracoracoideus

Tendon of _____ muscle passes through this triosseal canal

"upstroke muscle" of wing

What is the function of the tendon of supracoracoideus muscle?

proximal humerus to lateral & central region of keel of sternum

Attachment of supracoracoideus muscle

contraction of muscle results in "upstroke" of wing

Action of supracoracoideus muscle

proximal humerus to lateral perimeter of keel of sternum

Attachment of pectoralis muscle

contraction of muscle results in "downstroke" of wing

Action of pectoralis muscle

alula

Carpal "Claws" associated with _____

1. 3

2. 4

3. 6

During embryogenesis, aortic arches #_____, #_____, & #_____ form

4

In Avian species, aortic arch #_____ becomes neonatal aorta, which arches towards the right side of the body

4

The avian heart has _____ chambers

right

The aortic arch passes to the [right/left] side in avian species

300 to 600 bpm

Avian species have high heart rates of _____ (asserine species)

> = 800 bpm

Hummingbirds have high heart rates of _____

pelvic limbs or caudal muscle masses

Medications are excreted by kidneys when these drugs are injections in the _____

pelvic

Avoid medications @ [pelvic/thoracic] limbs which are intended to not be excreted

ischiatic

_____ nerve (#17) passing dorsal to kidney tissue within ventral recess of synsacrum

kidney disease

Ischiatic nerve subject to trauma & impact when _____ is present

1. jugular vein: right > larger > left

2. brachial vein; right or left

3. medial metatarsal vein, right or left

4. dorsal vertebral vein, located midline & proximal to pygostyle

5. digital vein, via toe claw clipping

What are the avian venipuncture sites?

digital vein

Which venipuncture site is not humane, painful, and high risk of infection & contaminated blood samples?

brachial vein

What is shown here?

medial metatarsal vein

What is shown here?

no

Do birds have true thoracic or abdominal cavities?

coelomic cavity

Avian species have 1 body cavity known as _____

air sacs

There are multiple _____ throughout coelomic cavity

proximal humeri

Some air sacs penetrate pneumonic bones, including ______, bilaterally

no

Do birds have a true muscular diaphragm?

horizontal septum

_____ is an alternative structure to the muscular diaphragm

cranial to caudal

There are multiple air sacs, positioned _____ in coelomic cavity

kaolin

_____ lining within ventriculus (stomach)

true

T/F - Some species ingest gravel or small stones to assist in grinding ingesta during digestive process

true

T/F - Birds have a relatively simple digestive system

ceci

The Galliformes species have double _____

cecum

The Psittacine species have no _____

Meckel's diverticulum

Yok sac remnant

1. Coprodeum

2. Urodeum

3. Proctodeum

What are the cloacal regions?

Coprodeum

Receives feces from gi tract

Urodeum

Receives urates from kidneys & either eggs or sperm from reproductive tract

Proctodeum

Common cloacal region

1. dorsal concha

2. middle concha

3. ventral concha

What things constitute the nasal cavity?

choanal slit

Split hard palate

complete

Birds have [complete/incomplete] tracheal rings

ossified

Birds often possess _____ tracheal rings

syrinx

Origin of sound production

ceolom

Most of air sacs are bilaterally symmetrical, while some air sacs are single, but span across entire _____

air flows to caudal air sacs

What happens on inspiration 1?

air flows through lungs

What happens on expiration 1?

air flows to cranial air sacs

What happens on inspiration 2?

air flows out trachea

What happens on expiration 2?

1. ovaries

2. infundibulum

3. magnum

4. uterus (shell gland)

5. vagina

6. urodeum

6. cloaca

What are the parts of the "hen"/female chicken repro tract?

1. testes

2. ductus deferens

3. urodeum

4. cloaca

5. phallus

What are the parts of the "rooster"/male chicken repro tract?

displays lissencephalia (smooth external surface)

Describe the avian brain

1. olfactory lobe

2. cerebral hemispheres

3. optic lobe

4. optic chiasma

5. hypothalamus

6. infundibulum &

7. hypophysis

8. cerebellum

9. medulla oblongata

What are the major regions/structures of the avian brain?

scleral

Birds possess _____ bones in series which overlap to form circle of bony plates, forming the "orbit"

ring

In owls, the scleral ossicles form a ______

tetrachromacy

Birds have _____ - 4 types of color receptors

1. red

2. green

3. blue

4. ultraviolet

What are the 4 types of color receptors?

pecten oculi

_____ provide nutritional support to the retina

binocular

Birds have _____ vision, overlap of field of view

limited

Most avian species have _____ binocular vision!

AVIAN ANATOMY NOTES

AVIAN ANATOMY NOTES

6

There are _____ orders of avian species

anseriformes & passeriformes

Avian influenza is being spread by _____

flock medicine

When you are working with big bird populations, its known as _____

skin

What is the largest organ in the body?

rachis

What is the shaft going down the middle of the feather called?

cranial

Smaller surface area is associated with the [cranial/caudal] edge of the feather

primary

_____ feathers are attached to the manus

antebrachium & brachium

Secondary feathers are attached to the _____

asymmetrical; symmetrical

A _____ feather is for flight, while a _____ feather is found on the tail

contour

_____ feathers cover the body of the bird

1. flight

2. thermoregulation

3. sexual dimorphism

4. protection

Feathers help with.....

hooklets

_____ connect/keep the barbs and barbules together

alula

The ______ is the "thumb" and helps with readjustment when flying

atlas

The single occipital condyle articulates with the _____