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Subsong Period
The stage when birds first begin practicing their songs.
Cone Cells
Birds have four types of cone cells.
Repertoire
The number of different vocalizations that a bird makes.
Hippocampus
The part of the brain where spatial memory in birds occurs.
Syrinx
The source of vocalizations for most birds.
Pecten
Allows for increased visual acuity and provides oxygen and nutrients to the retina.
Left Hemisphere of Forebrain
The part of the brain that typically controls birdsong.
Ear Bones
Birds have one bone that makes up their ear.
Herbst Corpuscle
Involved in mechanoreception.
Song Crystallization
The stage that transforms plastic song into its final form.
Visual Spectrum
Birds have broader visual spectrums, which are important for hunting and communication.
Depth Perception
Birds move their heads quickly to get better depth perception.
Pecten
Soft fracture of eyes that provides more oxygen to them.
Magnetite
A compass in the head that helps direct birds using magnetic fields.
Rhodopsin
Theoretically used to transmit light and magnetic fields into nerve impulses to guide birds.
Human Hearing
Humans have better hearing than some birds because birds cannot hear higher frequencies as well.
Barometric Pressure
Helps birds detect storms.
Birds' Brain Size
Birds have large brains compared to their head size.
Vocalizations
Birds usually have 5-14 distinct vocalizations.
Ulysses' Discovery
Found that birds can vocalize even after their head is cut off because the syrinx is in the body.
Air Usage in Sound Production
Birds use 100% of the air for sounds compared to 2% for humans.
Syrinx Functionality
Used to sing, and the two halves can sing independently.
Motor Control Pathways
Responsible for song production.
Anterior Pathway
Responsible for song recognition during learning.
Learn to Sing Birds
Groups include Oscine songbirds (finches, thrushes), parrots, and hummingbirds.
Critical Learning Period
The first year of a bird's life, where they listen and learn songs.
Silent Period
A period of up to 8 months where birds figure out parts of songs but not in order.
Song Features
Songs can establish social hierarchy and promote pair bonding.
Annual Cycles in Birds
Birds change behavior based on mating and molting.
Pineal Gland Function
Controls the release of melatonin and regulates the biological clock.
Corticosterone
Produced by adrenal glands and indicates stress.
Ultimate Factors of Breeding
Timing of food for young, space, climate, and low predation.
Proximate Factors of Breeding
Temperature, habitat correctiveness, new vegetation, social stimulations, and breeding seasons.
Migration Challenges
High energy tax and high mortality rate.
Navigate Methods for Birds
Sight, smell, stars, and magnetic fields.
Social Behaviors Types
Territoriality, flocking, dominance displacement.
Territory Definition
A fixed area defended for a period of time; may be extended for mates and progeny.
Flocking Benefits
Lowers predation risk and builds social hierarchies.
Agnostic Behaviors
Includes aggression (attack, threaten) and escape (submit, flee).
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Function
Involved in stress management and migratory restlessness.
Estrogen
Released by the pituitary gland, involved in egg production and sexual morphology.
Follicle-Stimulating Hormones
Involved in sperm production and egg follicle development.
Glucagon
Involved in metabolism in the liver and comes from the pancreas.
Growth Hormones
Stimulate normal post-hatching growth and immune system function.
Luteinizing Hormones
Induces ovulation and increases progesterone and testosterone production.
Melatonin
Involved in food utilization and circadian rhythms of cells throughout the day.
Prolactin
Involved in the production of crop milk and broodiness.
Thyroxine
Regulates metabolism, thermogenesis, growth, and development.
Testosterone
Involved in the development of testes and ovaries as well as sexual morphology.
