UCOR 1800 Avian Biology Part D Study Questions

Flashcards covering topics from Avian Biology lecture notes.

Hopping vs. Walking (Ground Birds)

Hopping involves moving both feet simultaneously, while walking is alternating feet.

Evolutionary Advantage of Small Feet

For birds that spend most of their time in flight, small feet reduce weight and drag, improving flight efficiency.

Climbing Birds

Birds with strong feet and sharp claws are excellent climbers.

Running Birds

Birds with long legs and strong leg muscles are excellent runners.

Webbed Toes Benefit

Webbed toes and rear positioned legs aid in propulsion for swimming and diving birds.

Wing Propelled Swimming

Some birds use their wings underwater by flapping them like they do in flight. Ex: Penguins and auks.

Evolution of Flight in Birds (3 Scenarios)

Ground-up (cursorial), Trees-down (arboreal), Wing-assisted incline running (WAIR).

Pectoralis Muscle

Large muscle that powers the downstroke of the wing.

Supracoracoideus Muscle

Muscle that lifts the wing during flight, via a tendon running through the triosseal canal.

Red Muscle Fibers

Marathon champions have a higher proportion of red muscle fibers in their legs, providing endurance.

Migrant Birds

Birds that move between breeding and non-breeding areas.

Resident Birds

Birds that stay in the same area year-round.

Obligate Migration

Migration that is genetically programmed.

Partial Migration

When some individuals migrate and others don't.

Facultative Migration

Migration that occurs only when conditions become unfavorable.

Site Fidelity

The tendency of birds to return to the same breeding or wintering sites year after year.

Migration Preparation

Birds build up fat reserves, reduce organ size, and undergo feather molting in preparation for migration.

Environmental Cue for Migration

Photoperiod (day length) is used to monitor the progression of the seasons.

Bird Navigation Methods

Sun compass, star compass, magnetic field, polarized light, landmarks, and odor.

Methods to Track Migrating Birds

Banding, radio transmitters, satellite transmitters, GPS loggers, geolocators, and radar.

Geolocator Function

Small devices that record light levels to estimate location.

Arctic Tern Migration

The Arctic tern performs the longest migration of any bird, traveling from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back each year.