All About Aves: Birds

1. All About Aves:Birds By Taylor Jacobs and Sara Scarbro

2. Basic Taxonomy of Birds • Domain: Eucarya • Kingdom: Animalia • Phylum: Chordata • Subphylum: Vertebrata • Class: Aves

3. Taxonomy at a Deeper Level Neognathae (Superorder) Ornithurae (Subclass) Palaeognathae (Superorder) Aves (Class) Sauriurae (Subclass)

4. General Reproductive Mechanism • A male’s sperm fertilizes the female’s eggs in her reproductive tract. • Female then lays the eggs which have a protective shell. • The female, and sometimes the male, lay on top of the eggs to incubate and protect them until hatching in the nest.

5. The Basics • Birds are multicellular organisms. • Birds are heterotrophs. • Heterotroph= do not make their own food. • Birds are deuterostomes. • Deuterostome=first opening during development is the anus.

6. Distinguishing Characteristics • Birds are the only animals that have feathers. • The average bird has between 1,000 and 25,000 feathers. • Function of Feathers: insulation, protection, lining nests, and influence wing shape which aid in flight. • Feathers can be broken down into 6 different categories: • Contour feathers • Semiplume feathers • Down feathers • Filoplume feathers • Bristle feathers • Powder-down feathers

7. Distinguishing Characteristics (continued) • Beaks or bills are a lightweight and unique feature to birds. • Birds do not have a heavy jawbone or teeth. • Birds have different shaped beaks depending on the food that they eat. • Along with their wing, birds also move via 2 legs and 2 feet. • Feet type vary based on habitat and lifestyle but can range from being webbed to having talons.

8. Comparison of Closely Related Species: Reptiles Similarities Differences Birds eggs have harder shells. Birds have beaks instead of jaws with teeth. Birds can utilize heat from their cells to regulate body temperature . Birds and reptiles are very similar in their anatomy and reproductive systems. • Both are vertebrates. • Both have thick scales. • Both of their eggs have amniotic sacs and shells. • Both eggs fertilized within reproductive tract of females.

9. Various Types of Birds • Flightless Birds • Water Birds • Perching Birds • Birds of Prey

10. Flightless Birds • Examples: • Ostrich • Penguin • Kiwis

11. Water Birds • Examples: • Common Loon • Blue-Footed Booby • Wood Duck

12. Perching Birds • Examples: • Scarlet Tanager • Chickadees • Parrots

13. Birds of Prey • Examples: • Eagles • Hawks • Owls

14. Bird Structure • Birds have bilateral symmetry. • Birds have lightweight bodies and strong flight muscles. • Birds wings: • Made of hard but thin bone. • Less bones than the typical animal. • Bones often weigh less than feathers. • Bones are fused together. • Birds have 3 eyelids and ears that aid in hearing and maintaining balance.

15. Anatomy Aids in Flight Large eyes help birds spot objects and food from a distance. Air sacs attached to the lungs allow for continuous air supply. Lungs Rapidly beating heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to flight muscles.

16. Circulatory System • Birds are warm-blooded. • Rapid heart beat allows for energy and oxygen flow which aids in flight.

17. Digestive System (1) Crop: sack-like widening of digestive tract where food can be stored temporarily. (3) Intestines: tubes that continue to extract nutrients from food after it passes through the gizzard. (2) Gizzard: second chamber of a birds stomach where food is ingested by the bird.

18. Nervous System • Birds have a brain and a spinal cord. • Tongues are used for feeling. • Eyes are large in order to see and judge distance. • Ears allow birds to hear and maintain balance.