Practicum V - Lab 1

What modern adaptations do all modern birds have?

Feathers

Beak with no teeth

Laying hard-shelled eggs

Four-chambered heart

Lightweight but strong skeleton

What do all living species of birds have? Where have they evolved from?

Wings; forelimbs

What type of dinosaurs did they possible evolve from and when?

Theropods; Jurassic (150 MYA)

Where do modern birds live?

Most terrestrial habitats on all seven continents

What does Archaeopteryx mean?

Ancient wing

What are feathers made of?

Keratin (the same material as scales found in reptiles)

Name the types of feathers and their functions

Contour - body covering

Flight - flight

Down - warmth

Filoplume - sensory function

Semiplume - form, insulation, aerodynamics

Bristles - sensory and protective function

Know what pigments (1) carotenoids), (2) melanins, (3) porphyrins, (4) iridescent colors, and (5) non-iridescent colors produce what color.

1 - Orangish yellow, red

2 - Darkest black to reddish browns and pale yellows

3 - Pink, brown, red, green

4 - Refraction of incident lights

5 - Convoluted air cavities that act as tiny light-scattering prisms

What is the internal structure of a bird’s bone?

Mostly hollow; no marrow

What structures are fused together?

Throax (furcula), pelvis (synsacrum), the outer wings (carpometacarpus)

What is the muscle responsible for lifting the wing? For lowering?

The supracoracoideus; pectoralis

How much of a bird’s body mass is accounted for by flight muscles?

25%

What is the term used for birds if not tetrapods nor quadrupeds?

Bipedal

What is the part of a bird’s leg that looks like a “backwards” knee?

Ankle

What type of metabolic rates do birds have?

Endothermic

What is the normal range of body temperatures?

Typically between 38 and 42 degrees Celsius (100 to 108 degrees Fahrenheit)

What zones are birds usually larger? Why?

Temperate zones; to reduce heat loss

Two functions of the respiratory system?

Delivers oxygen to tissues and removes carbon dioxide; Thermoregulation (maintaining body temp)

What do air sacs permit?

Unidirectional flow of air through lungs

Four migration groups of birds?

Permanent, summer, winter, transients

Main advantage to migrating? What causes the bird’s hormone levels to change? What is the urge to migrate called?

More food and less cold; changes in day length; zugunruhe

What do birds do in the fall to prepare for migration? What triggers migration?

Fat accumulation under the skin; sometimes weather changes

Four “flyaways” in North America? Which one is our local flyaway?

Pacific, Central, Mississippi, Atlantic; Pacific Flyaway

How is unique in birds aside from other vertebrates?

Bird eggs have a hard calcium carbonate covering for protection

Largest egg? Smallest egg? Meaning of precocial and altricial?

Ostrich; Hummingbirds; Precocial → Born with open eyes, leaves nest 1-2 days after hatching; Altricial → born with closed eyes and depend on parents for food heat and protection

What is meant by “socially monogamous”? What are extra-pair copulations? How many bird species are considered Socially Monogamous?

Birds that raise young together; “cheating” (?); 90%

What is polygyny? What conditions favor this?

When one male has multiple females; (1) colonial groups with enough resources for females to feed young alone, and (2) the young are independent early in life

What is lekking? What is the name of the area used for display?

Where males collect in a group to perform courtship displays, called the arena or booming ground;

What are the benefits of Lekking for the male? For the female?

Lack of resources allow male to show off genetic qualities; females can choose mates based on displays

What is polyandry? What happens to the sexual roles in these birds?

Female attracts more than one male; roles are reversed and females fight for territories, males, and resources

What is the evolutionary reason for polyandry? Why is it less common the polyandry?

Parents do not have to worry about parental care but rather their offspring number; females invest more into the egg than males do to their sperm

What is polygynandry? Why do birds that demonstrate this reproductive strategy primarily live in groups? What is special about the way they nest?

Females paired with several males, males will be paired with several females; to protect their storage of acorns; females lay eggs in a single nest, competing to leave the most eggs

What is brood parasitism?

Females lay their eggs in another species nest to have the other species raise their young

What is the local species that uses brood parasitism? How many species are parasitized?

Brown-headed cowbirds; 140-220 species

What is the nickname of the parasitic bird?

Mafia Bird

How do birds communicate?

By song and calls or other noises like tapping or drumming

Song vs. call?

Songs are longer and more complex; calls serve as alarms or contact

How do bird produce songs or calls?

(lack vocal cords) Vibrations sent across the syrinx

What are the two subdivisions found under the class Aves? Their meanings?

Paleognathae (old jaw - ratites) and Neognathae (new jaw - all other birds)

What are the names of the groups under subdivision Neognathae? Which group causes difficulty for bird phylogeny?

Galloanserae (chickens, ducks, and allies); Neonaves (all other birds); Neonaves cause problems for bird phylogeny

What do all members of paleognathae have in common?

Keel-less sternum, strong legs, loss of feather vanes, no preen gland

What makes Ostriches unique? How to tell make and female apart?

Lays the largest eggs among birds; Male has black plumage and female has greyish brown

(Ostriches) How many toes? How large can they get?

Two toes; 9ft 346 lbs

(Ostriches) Reproduction type?

Polygny; male tends the nest used by multiple females

(Ostriches) Diet type? Where are they found? Habitat?

Herbivores; Africa; savannas, semi-arid and desert areas

What makes Rhea unique? What do they do with their wings if not fly?

Flightless birds; spread wings while running

(Rhea) How many toes? How large can they get?

Three toes; 5.5 ft 88 lbs

(Rhea) Reproduction type?

Polygny

(Rhea) Diet type? Where are they found? Habitat?

Herbivores; South America; open grasslands

What do Casuariiformes have in common?

Only three toes

What makes Casuariiformes unique?

Pattern of bones in palate; vomer bones of the skull extend back to separate palatines

Where are Casuariiformes found?

Astralia-New Guinea

What members exist under Casuariiformes

Emus & Cassowaries

What makes Emus unique among ratites? How fast can they sprint?

Second largest living bird and are endemic; 31 mph

(Emus) How many toes? How large can they get?

Three toes; 6ft 132lbs

(Emus) Reproduction type?

Polyandry

(Emus) Diet type? Where are they found? Habitat?

Omnivores; Australia; mostly savanna woodlands

What makes Cassowaries unique? How fast can they sprint and how tall can they jump?

Keratinous skin-covered casque; sound resonance; 30 mph, 5ft

(Cassowaries) How many toes? How large can they get?

Three toes; up to 5-6 ft

(Cassowaries) Reproduction type?

Polyandry

(Cassowaries) Diet type? Where are they found? Habitat?

Omnivores (mostly fruit-eating); New Guinea and ne. Australia; rainforests

What does the placing of Tinamous in sister clade Paleognathae imply?

Basal ratites could fly

What makes Tinamous unique?

Sedentary, ground-dwelling, avoid flight in favor of hiding/running away from danger

(Tinamous) Reproduction type?

Polyandry

(Tinamous) Diet type? Where are they found? Habitat?

Omnivores; Mexico, Central and South America; grasslands → rainforests

What makes Kiwis unique among ratites?

Smallest flightless ratite and largest egg in proportion to body size

(Kiwi) Reproduction type?

Monogamous

(Kiwi) Diet type? Where are they found? Habitat?

Omnivores; New Zealand; subtropical → temperate podocarp and beach forsests

What do all members of Neognathae have in common? General name?

Fused metacarps, elongate third finger, 13 < vertebrates; Carinate

When did Neognathae evolve? Where are they found?

Late Cretaceous (90 MYA); worldwide

What are general characteristics of Anseriformes? What is the other order of birds that were around with dinosaurs?

A type of modern bird present during Mesozoic; Galliformes

What is unique about Anseriformes?

Large feet, short legs, webbed toes, and pensises, diving ducks

What is unique about Mallard Ducks? Habitat? Diet? R Type?

Ancestors of domesticated ducks; wetlands, omnivores, social monogamy

What’s unique about Northern Pintails? Habitat? Diet? R Type?

Long central tail feather; wetlands; plants; social monogamy

Unique about Northern Shoveler? Habitat? Diet?

Spatulate bill; marshes; aquatic invertebrates

Unique about Hooded Merganser? Habitat? Diet?

Dark crest; pond and estuaries; fish

Unique about Canada Goose? Habitat? Diet? R Type?

Chinstrap; wide range of habitats; herbivores; monogamous

What are general characteristics of Galliformes?

Heavy-bodied ground-feeding birds; chicken-like appearance with small to large bodies and blunt-wings

What are unique about Galliformes? Where are they found?

Elaborate head and neck ornamentation, wattles and casques; worldwide except extreme deserts and icecaps

Species in Order Galliformes?

Wild Turkey, Sage Grouse, Ruffed Grouse, CA and Gambel’s Quail

Wild turkeys are among the ____ birds and can weigh over ____ lbs

Largest Galliformes; 30

What is unique about Wild Turkeys? What is this called?

Fleshy wattle and hangs from the top of the beak; snood

Wild Turkey reproduction type?

Monogamous

Which grouse is the largest in North America?

Sage Grouse

What is unique about Sage Grouse? What habitat are they found in?

Complex lekking system; sagebrush

What' is unique about Ruffed Grouse?

Drumming (non-vocal acoustic display)

What is the curve on a California Quail’s head?

Plume

The California Quail is considered what?

State bird of California

How are Gambel’s Quail’s recognized?

Top knots and scaly plumage on their undersides

What is unique about Gambel’s Quails?

Body temp of 104 F degrees, but can raise it to reduce water loss; can lose up to 50% of body weight in water (humans go into dehydration after losing 10% water)

What order are Eared Grebes? What kind of toes do Eared Grebes have?

Podiciformes; Lobed toes

Order of Flamingo? What is the neck of a Flamingo called? Where do Flamingoes get their pink color?

Phoenicopteriformes; Coat-hanger neck; carotenoid pigments in diet (brine shrimp and blue-green algae)

How many species are found in Columbiformes? Species?

Over 300 speciesfound worldwide; Band-tailed Pigeon, Mourning Dove

What is unique about the Band-tailed Pigeon? What order is it in?

Biggest pigeon in North America; Columbiformes

What noise does a Mourning Dove make? What is unique about it? Diet?

Unusual whistling noise; most abundant and widespread of all North American birds; seeds and occasionally berries

What order is the Greater Roadrunner? What is unique about them?

Cuculiformes; they lower metabolism overnight, and pull back feather to absorb sun with black skin

Diet of Greater Roadrunners?

Small animals like tarantulas, insects, small reptiles, and occasionally fruits.

What is the order of the Common Nighthawk? What is unique about them?

Caprimulgiformes; erratic flight, small beak an large mouth

What are the three living families of Apodiformes?

Swifts, treeswifts, and hummingbirds; most diverse after Passeriformes (song birds)

What does Apodiformes mean? What is unique about them?

“footless” in Greek, small legs and stout humerus bones