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NSF > Anatomy and physiology of birds 1 > Flashcards

Anatomy and physiology of birds 1 Flashcards

1
Q

How do we classify birds?

A

Kingdom = Animalia
Phylum = Chordata
Class = Aves
There are around 40 orders, 239 families and approximately 10500 species

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2
Q

Describe the passerines.

A

Order = passeriformes
Over 4900 species
‘Songbirds’ or ‘perching. birds’
Four toed - one pointing backwards
E.g. Finches, canaries, mynah bird

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3
Q

Describe the psittacines.

A

Order = psittaciformes
Around 370 species
‘Parrots’
e.g. small parrots = budgies, lovebirds, cockatiels. large parrots = African grey, amazon, cockatoo

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4
Q

Describe the raptors (birds of prey).

A

3 orders:
- accipitriformes - diurnal birds of prey e.g. Hawks, Buzzards
- falconiformes - diurnal birds of prey e.g. Falcons
- strigiformes - nocturnal birds of prey e.g. owls
Around 225 species
Dangerous - carnivores - beak, talons

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5
Q

What are the orders of poultry and waterfowl?

A

Anseriformes e.g. ducks, geese, swans
Galliformes e.g. chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, peacock

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6
Q

Describe the ratites.

A

All large flightless birds
Increasingly kept in the UK for meat production, and production of leather.
E.g. ostriches and rheas

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7
Q

What order are many wild birds from?

A

Passerines e.g. blackbirds, starlings, blue tits etc.

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8
Q

What is a key indicator of health in birds?

A

Plummage health

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9
Q

What percentage of cranial volume do the eyes of birds take up?

A

Up to 50%

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10
Q

What are the supporting bony sockets called that the eye of a bird is found in?

A

Sclerotic rings

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11
Q

Some birds have the ability to recognise UV/polarised light. What is this important in?

A

Important in communication, behaviour and hunting

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12
Q

When do birds eyelids close?

A

Only when they are sleeping.
Rarely blink as have a nictitating membrane (3rd eyelid) which functions like blinking.

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13
Q

What is the main source of tear production in birds?

A

Harderian and lacrimal gland are the main source. No meibomium gland.

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14
Q

What feature of the eye of a bird is determined by lifestyle?

A

Shape of the globe

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15
Q

What are the similarities and differences between the eye of mammals and birds?

A

Similarities = anterior and posterior chamber
Differences = cornea thinner and lens softer in birds. Retina thick and avascular in birds.

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16
Q

What is the pecten in a bird’s eye?

A

Outfolding of the retinal surface.
Rich blood supply
Function -
- may have role in retinal nourishment
- may have role in reducing light reaching retina

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17
Q

What is the outer ear protected by in birds?

A

Auricular feathers in most species (also act as funnel)
No external pinna

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18
Q

Describe the skin of birds.

A

Thin and inelastic (especially in the stringiformes)

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19
Q

Where on birds is their skin modified?

A

On their limbs.
Thickened and scaly for protection as no feathers here

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20
Q

What glands do birds no possess that mammals do?

A

No sweat glands
No sebaceous glands

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21
Q

What is unique about the uropygial gland (preen gland) in birds?

A

Not present in all glands
Largest in aquatic birds

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22
Q

Describe the uropygial gland.

A

Located at the base of tail
Variations in size, shape and number of openings
Not present in ostrich, emu, some pigeons and some parrots

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23
Q

What does the the uropygial gland produce and what is the function of this?

A

Produces lipid rich secretion for feather waterproofing and maintenance

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24
Q

What are the 5 parts of a feather?

A

Vane
Rachis
Barb
Afterfeather
Hollow shaft, calamus

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25
Q

Describe the vane of a feather.

A

Functional bit
Either side of central rachis
Consists of a series of barbs with interlocking barbules

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26
Q

Describe the rachis of a feather.

A

Central section
Contains capillaries during growth phase, but loses them and becomes hollow as feather matures

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27
Q

Describe the barb of a feather.

A

Individual strong of feather material
Extends laterally from the rachis

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28
Q

Describe the afterfeather.

A

Arises from the base of the vane

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29
Q

Describe the calamus of a feather.

A

Anchors feather into follicles
Hollow

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30
Q

What is the feather shaft?

A

Combination of calamus and central rachis

31
Q

What are the contour feathers?

A

Outermost feathers
Give colour and ‘contour’
Protect from the elements

32
Q

Describe the 3 types of contour feathers.

A

Coverts - small contour feathers of the wing
Remiges - large contour ‘flight features’ of the wing
Retrices - tail feathers

33
Q

What are the semiplume feathers?

A

Under contour feathers
Loose structure
Provide insulation

34
Q

What are the down feathers?

A

Very loose structure with no barbs
Provide insulation

35
Q

What are the powder down feathers?

A

Specialised down feather where tips of barbules disintegrate during preening. Seen mostly in birds with reduced or absent preen gland.

36
Q

Where are feather follicles confined to in birds?

A

Well defined areas called pterylae

37
Q

What are the apteriae on birds?

A

Featherless areas
Where the skin has no follicles

38
Q

Do you take blood samples from pterylae or apteriae?

A

Apteriae (featherless)

39
Q

Which of the wing feathers are visible when the wings are closed?

A

Greater primary coverts

40
Q

What are the different sections of the wing feathers called?

A

Primary remiges
Greater primary coverts
Alula
Secondary remiges
Greater secondary coverts
Median secondary coverts
Lesser secondary coverts
Tertiary remiges
Scapulares

41
Q

What are blood feathers and what are features of them?

A

Blood feathers = growing feathers
Huge blood supply
Nerve supply

42
Q

What happens if you break a blood feather?

A

Bleeds
Won’t grow back until next moult

43
Q

Describe moulting in birds.

A

Generally occurs once a yer
Requires increased energy intake

44
Q

What affects moulting in birds?

A

Season, temperature, nutrition and individual factors

45
Q

If feathers are plucked when will they grow back?

A

Immediately

46
Q

What is the aim of wing clipping?

A

To reduce ability for vertical lift, not stop them flying completely

47
Q

The skeleton provides support for three main functions in birds. What are these three functions?

A

Flight
Egg production
Respiration

48
Q

How does the skeletal system of a bird support flight?

A

By reducing weight -
- fused bones, lightweight structure, small skull relative to body size, no teeth
By providing attachment points for flight muscles -
- keel (big breast bone)
- coracoid (suports wing and counteracts action of flight muscles, preventing chest compression)

49
Q

How does the skeletal system of a bird support respiration?

A

Some of the bones in a birds skeleton are hollow and house extensions of the air sacs
Strengthened by ‘internal struts’

50
Q

How does the skeletal system of a bird support egg production?

A

Medullary bone provides a source of stored calcium during times of peak egg production
Leach calcium out of bones

51
Q

Describe the skull of birds.

A

Lightweight
No teeth - bills or beaks instead
Sclerotic rings supporting globe

52
Q

Describe the spine of birds.

A

Flexible and lightweight

53
Q

How many cervical vertebrae do birds have?

A

Variable number - 11 to 25

54
Q

Describe the thoracic vertebrae.

A

Notarium (fused to resist twisting forces of flight)

55
Q

What is the synsacrum?

A

Fused lumbar, sacral and some caudal vertebrae in birds.

56
Q

What is the pygostyle?

A

Final few caudal vertebrae that act as the attachment of tail feathers and musculature

57
Q

What bones are fused in the wings of birds?

A

Carpals and metacarpals
Phalanges

58
Q

Which bones of the wings support primary flight feathers?

A

Radial and ulnar carpal bones

59
Q

What is special about the humerus of in birds?

A

It is a pneumatic bone as it contains an extension of cervical air sac

60
Q

What bone supports secondary flight feathers?

A

Ulnar bone

61
Q

What is the alula and what is its role?

A

It is the name given to the first digit, located on carpometacarpal joint and supports small stiff feathers thought to aid in flight stability.

62
Q

What is the name given to the third major part of the wing?

A

Carpometacarpus

63
Q

Which bones are fused in the hindlimb of birds?

A

Tibiotarsus
Tarsometatarsus

64
Q

How are the digits of birds controlled?

A

Via long tendons as muscles are located high up limb. Not really any muscles past the thigh.

65
Q

What does the anatomy of the foot of a bird depend on?

A

The lifestyle.
E.g. climbing, swimming, running, perching, grasping and scratching

66
Q

What is the pectoral girdle designed to do?

A

Support flight muscles

67
Q

What is the pectoral girdle comprised of?

A

Scapula (points caudally)
Clavicle (paired and fused - know as furcula)
Coracoid (prevent muscles squishing thoracic cavity)
Sternum (keel)

68
Q

What is the innominate bone comprised of?

A

Fused ileum, ischium and pubis

69
Q

What is the innominate bone used dorsally with?

A

Synsacrum (fused spine) to make one single ‘unit’

70
Q

What are the two large pectoral muscles in birds and what are their functions?

A

Pectoralis major (largest) - wing depressor
Supracoracoideus - wing elevator
pulley system

71
Q

What allows there to be no large heavy muscle above the wing in birds?

A

The tendon of the supracoracoideus attaches to the dorsal side of the humerus

72
Q

What adaptations do birds that fly less (such as galliformes) have?

A

Powerful leg muscles for standing and walking

73
Q

Where are intramuscular injections usually performed in birds and what is the exception to this?

A

Pectoral muscles
Except in ratites (standing birds) as they are small and nestlings as the keel bone is cartilaginous so can be punctured.

74
Q

Where should you avoid when giving a bird an IM injection and why?

A

Thigh/leg muscles as blood drains from the hindlimb back into the kidney through the renal portal system

NSF (8 decks)

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