BSCI 30582 Ornithology Exam 3 Study Guide

Flashcards about Ornithology Exam 3 Study Guide

What kind of sex determination do birds have?

zz/zw

Which sex is homogametic?

Male

Which sex is heterogametic?

Female

How many testes do males have?

2

How do testes differ in the breeding season compared to the rest of the year?

They will increase as breeding season approaches

What is the function of the seminiferous tubules?

Sperm production

How does testes size vary with mating system?

It is larger in species that breed colonially

How many ovaries do females typically have?

Only 1 on the left

What is the cloacal protuberance?

Swelling in cloacal area in males during breeding season

How does copulation typically occur?

Touching cloacas together

How do male anseriformes differ from other avian males?

Cork screw

What is the function of the albumen?

Help protect the embryo

What is the function of the shell membrane

Protects eggs from bacteria and prevents water loss

Chalazae

Protein fibers that anchor the yoke

Yellow yoke

More fat

White yoke

More protein

What is the gas exchange through the shell

Oxygen goes in, carbon dioxide goes out

What does the amount of yolk tell you about development?

More yolk = more developed when hatched

In which segment of the oviduct does fertilization occur?

Infundibulum

In which segment of the oviduct is the first layer of albumen added?

Magnum

In which segment of the oviduct are the inner membrane, outer shell membrane, and albumen added?

isthmus

In which segment of the oviduct are albumen, shell, and pigments added?

Uterus

What happens to the cloaca during egg laying?

Turns inside out

How do capital breeders differ from income breeders?

Capital breeders draw heavily on stored energy and nutrients, while income breeders ingest daily basis of resources needed

What is sexual selection?

Reproductive differential

What are the two kinds of sexual selection?

Male-male competition for opportunities to mate and female preference driving the evolution of male traits

Why do differences in reproductive investment typically lead to the evolution of female mate choice?

Female: large "expensive" gametes, more investment, best mate. Male: small "cheap" gametes, less investment, most mates

how are male Long-tailed Widowbirds an example of sexual selection

Longer tail and better display means more mates

Define lek.

An aggregation of male display territories that include no other resources for reproduction other than opportunities to mate

What are the 3 primary models for the evolution of leks?

Hotspot, hot shot, female preference

What kinds of indicators may males use to choose a female?

They may adjust their investment in parental care in relation to the quality of their mate

Polygamy

Multiple mates of the opposite sex

What is serial monogamy?

Monogamous within a breeding season

What is cuckoldry?

Older males will sneak copulation with another female that "hopefully" will result in an egg

What is egg dumping?

Females will sneak her egg into another female's nest

What is polygyny?

One male with multiple females

What are the two types of polygyny?

Resource defense and female defense

What is polyandry?

One female, multiple males

What are the two types of polyandry?

Serial and territorial

What is polygynandry?

A female mates with several males, each of which also mate with several females

What is promiscuity?

No prolonged pair bonds formed

What are brood parasites?

Lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and don't provide any parental care for their own offspring

What are the two types of brood parasites?

Non-obligate & obligate

What aspect of their host species do some obligate brood parasites mimic?

Eggs that mimic their hosts' eggs

strategies that have evolved in obligate brood parasites and their host species

Cryptic movements, may or discard hosts eggs, lay eggs fast, short incubation

Why is cooperative breeding adaptive?

Ecological constraints limit successful dispersal and reproduction of young birds entering the breeding population

Materials used for nests

Sticks, twigs, grasses, mud, sand

Who makes nests?

• polygynous-females

• Polyandrous-males

• Monogamous-both

Types of swallow nests

Mud nests, cavities, burrows

Nest crypsis

Dense clumps of grass, vine tangles, or hidden crevices minimize the chance of discovery

What are the 3 types of passerine nests?

cavity, Open-cup , domed

What determines the temperature inside the nest?

Thickness of insulation, heat produced by incubating parent, location

What are fecal sacs?

Often eaten by parents for nutrients and sanitation purposes

What are the physiological/physical changes associated with incubation ?

Rise in protein

Who incubates

Male- 6.1%, female- 37.4%, both- 49.7%

How does nest type influence parental activity at the nest?

Higher predation risk means lower parental activity

How do rates of development differ in different species

Rate of morphological change, amount of energy used, and length of each stage vary

What is the range of optimal incubation temperatures

35-41 C or 95-105 F

How do incubation periods vary

Corresponds to body size

asynchronous

Begin incubation before clutch is complete

synchronous

Delay onset of incubation before clutch clutch is complete

What is the function of the air cell

Used to breathe when internal membrane is broken

What is the the function of the egg tooth

Used to brake external shell

What are brood patches?

Patch of featherless skin

What happens to the yolk sac at hatching?

It gets absorbed by the new hatchling

What is unique about megapodes when it comes to incubation and parental care?

No post-hatching parental care

How do altricial offspring differ from precocial offspring in eyes at hatching?

Altricial: closed, Precocial: open

How do altricial offspring differ from precocial offspring in down?

Altricial: absent/sparse, Precocial: present

How do altricial offspring differ from precocial offspring in mobility?

Altricial: immobile, Precocial: mobile

How do altricial offspring differ from precocial offspring in parental care?

Altricial: essential, Precocial: minimal

How do altricial offspring differ from precocial offspring in nourishment?

Altricial: parents, Precocial: self-feeding

How do altricial offspring differ from precocial offspring in egg size?

Altricial: small (4-10%), Precocial: large (9-21%)

How do altricial offspring differ from precocial offspring in egg yolks?

Altricial: small, Precocial: large

How do altricial offspring differ from precocial offspring in brain size?

Altricial: small (3%), Precocial: large (4-7%)

How do altricial offspring differ from precocial offspring in small intestine?

Altricial: large, Precocial: small

How do altricial offspring differ from precocial offspring in growth rate?

Altricial: fast, Precocial: slow

Describe superprecocial offspring

Young are completely independent at hatching

Describe subprecocial offspring

Young leave the nest at hatching and follow parents, fed by parents

Describe semiprecocial offspring

Young are somewhat mobile at hatching but remain and are fed by parents

Describe semialtricial offspring

Young not mobile at hatching, are fed and brooded by parents

What are some of the key nutrients that nestlings require?

Cysteine, methionine, calcium and protein

How can passerine growth rates vary among species?

Positively correlated to daily nest predation rates

How does food supply affect altricial and precocial strategies?

Easy to obtain vs difficult to obtain

How does nest accessibility affect altricial and precocial strategies?

Inaccessible nests vs accessible nests

How does predation risk affect altricial and precocial strategies?

Lower risk vs higher risk

What kinds of adaptations do nestlings have for begging?

Brightly colored mouth linings

How does begging behavior influence nest predation?

More predation with begging calls

How can siblings compete in the nest?

Small chicks get less food

What is siblicide?

extreme example of sibling rivalry

in what ways is parenting energetically expensive?

Stress hormones inhibit immune system and they loss body mass during nesting

In what ways is there conflict between siblings and between parents?

Favoring one sex, sacrifice, bigger mouths get more food

What types of food are given to offspring?

Insects, fish, seeds

How do feeding rates vary with time?

Increase with age

What is brood reduction?

Birds cope with uncertainties about the number of young they can raise

Why is the fledging period important for young birds?

They need to build up their stamina

What do young birds need to learn early in life?

Foraging and avoiding predators

What is Lack’s food limitation hypothesis?

Food availability limits clutch size

What is the seasonality hypothesis?

Related to seasonal food production

What is the nest predation hypothesis?

Nest construction evolution

What is the “trade-off” hypothesis?

Probability of future reproduction affects present reproductive effort