Anatomy and physiology of birds 1 Flashcards by Sophie Burrell

How do we classify birds?

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

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Describe the passerines.

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

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Describe the psittacines.

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

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Describe the raptors (birds of prey).

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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What are the orders of poultry and waterfowl?

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

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Describe the ratites.

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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What order are many wild birds from?

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

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What is a key indicator of health in birds?

Plummage health

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

Up to 50%

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

Sclerotic rings

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

Important in communication, behaviour and hunting

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When do birds eyelids close?

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

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What is the main source of tear production in birds?

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

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

Shape of the globe

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

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

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What is the pecten in a bird’s eye?

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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What is the outer ear protected by in birds?

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

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Describe the skin of birds.

Thin and inelastic (especially in the stringiformes)

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Where on birds is their skin modified?

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

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What glands do birds no possess that mammals do?

No sweat glands
No sebaceous glands

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

Not present in all glands
Largest in aquatic birds

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Describe the uropygial gland.

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

Produces lipid rich secretion for feather waterproofing and maintenance

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What are the 5 parts of a feather?

Vane
Rachis
Barb
Afterfeather
Hollow shaft, calamus

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Describe the vane of a feather.

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

Describe the rachis of a feather.

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

Describe the barb of a feather.

Individual strong of feather material Extends laterally from the rachis

Describe the afterfeather.

Arises from the base of the vane

Describe the calamus of a feather.

Anchors feather into follicles Hollow

What is the feather shaft?

Combination of calamus and central rachis

What are the contour feathers?

Outermost feathers Give colour and 'contour' Protect from the elements

Describe the 3 types of contour feathers.

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

What are the semiplume feathers?

Under contour feathers Loose structure Provide insulation

What are the down feathers?

Very loose structure with no barbs Provide insulation

What are the powder down feathers?

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

Where are feather follicles confined to in birds?

Well defined areas called pterylae

What are the apteriae on birds?

Featherless areas Where the skin has no follicles

Do you take blood samples from pterylae or apteriae?

Apteriae (featherless)

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

Greater primary coverts

What are the different sections of the wing feathers called?

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

What are blood feathers and what are features of them?

Blood feathers = growing feathers Huge blood supply Nerve supply

What happens if you break a blood feather?

Bleeds Won't grow back until next moult

Describe moulting in birds.

Generally occurs once a yer Requires increased energy intake

What affects moulting in birds?

Season, temperature, nutrition and individual factors

If feathers are plucked when will they grow back?

Immediately

What is the aim of wing clipping?

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

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

Flight Egg production Respiration

How does the skeletal system of a bird support flight?

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)

How does the skeletal system of a bird support respiration?

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

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

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

Describe the skull of birds.

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

Describe the spine of birds.

Flexible and lightweight

How many cervical vertebrae do birds have?

Variable number - 11 to 25

Describe the thoracic vertebrae.

Notarium (fused to resist twisting forces of flight)

What is the synsacrum?

Fused lumbar, sacral and some caudal vertebrae in birds.

What is the pygostyle?

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

What bones are fused in the wings of birds?

Carpals and metacarpals Phalanges

Which bones of the wings support primary flight feathers?

Radial and ulnar carpal bones

What is special about the humerus of in birds?

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

What bone supports secondary flight feathers?

Ulnar bone

What is the alula and what is its role?

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

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

Carpometacarpus

Which bones are fused in the hindlimb of birds?

Tibiotarsus Tarsometatarsus

How are the digits of birds controlled?

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

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

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

What is the pectoral girdle designed to do?

Support flight muscles

What is the pectoral girdle comprised of?

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

What is the innominate bone comprised of?

Fused ileum, ischium and pubis

What is the innominate bone used dorsally with?

Synsacrum (fused spine) to make one single 'unit'

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

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

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

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

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

Powerful leg muscles for standing and walking

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

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

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

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