Avian Anatomy Flashcards
The skin of birds is ___ sensitive than mammals and bleeds ___.
less; less
Birds dont have any glands. True or False?
False- they are virtually glandless but have the uropygial gland and some in vent and external ear
What are brooding/incubation patches?
feather loss, thickening, increased vascularity
The beak is well ______ and grows ________.
innervated; continuously
What is a shank?
legs- cornified epidermis similar to scales of reptiles
What is a spur?
a structure on a roosters shank that has an osseous core
Can you age a rooster using the spur?
yes, length and rings at base related to age
How do you prevent growth of the spur?
remove spur papilla in chick
How many digits does a bird have?
4 (medial to lateral)
Which direction does the pelvis open in the bird?
ventrally
What would you expect to appear prior to laying season in a hen?
trabecular bone, thought to be calcium store
How many cervical vertebrae does a bird have? What about a chicken?
8-25
chicken 14-17
How many thoracic vertebrae does the chicken have?
7
What is the notarium?
4 fused thoracic vertebrae (followed by one free thoracic vertebrae)
What is the synsacrum?
15-16 fused vertebrae in the chicken (plus fused ilium) includes 2 thoracic (with one or two ribs), lumbar, sacral, and 1st caudal
How many free caudal vertebrae does the chicken have?
5-6
What is the pygostyle?
most caudal fused segment that supports retrices
What are retrices?
tail feathers
What is the rectrical bulb?
fibroadipose mass agaisnt the ventral surface of pygostyle
How many digits does the thoracic limb of the chicken have?
3
Which thoracic limb digits in the chicken are reduced?
1st and 3rd
What are pneumatized bones?
air sacs invade the bone to reduce weight at expense of bone marrow
Why is the skull different from other pneumatized bones?
it is pneumatized by sinuses, not air sacs
What species like a uropygial gland?
pigeons, parrots, and hyacinth macaws
In what species is the uropygial gland prominent?
budgerigar
What is the vane of the feather?
the “feather” part- made up of rows of interlocking barbs, that hook together by barbules
What is the shaft of the feather?
the center support
What is the calamus?
the quill- embedded part of feather
What is a blood feather?
immature or pin feather; contains vascular calamus
What are pterylae?
feather tracts
What are apteria?
bare areas between pterylae
What is the preferred site for surgery in a bird?
apteria
What controls molting and how often does it happen?
Usually once per year after breeding; hormonally controlled in response to changes in temperature and day length
What are contour feathers?
large feathers that determine body contour; includes remiges and rectrices
What are remiges?
flight feathers
What are down feathers?
small fluffy feathers that insulate
Which type of feather has barbs that unite to form a closed vane?
contour feathers
Are flight feathers symmetrical or asymmetrical? Why?
Asymmetrical vane for aerodynamics
What kind of feather would you expect to see around the eye?
bristle feathers
What muscle is the main depressor of the wing?
pectoralis
What muscle is the main elevator of the wing?
supracoracoideus
Which muscle can be used to assess body condition?
pectoralis
Would you expect to find a deep part of pectoralis in soaring or non-soaring birds?
soaring
What is used to hold food in a birds mouth?
mechanical papillae
What is the oropharynx?
oral cavity + pharynx because there is no clear demarcation
What is the choana?
Slit in the palate- how the nasal cavity communicates with the oropharynx
What is the crop?
dilation of the esophagus at thoracic inlet
What is the proventriculus?
glandular stomach
What is the ventriculus?
muscular grinding organ
What is special about the duodenum of the bird?
u-shaped with pancreas in center
The ceca of birds in paired. True or false?
True
What is the cloaca?
Common opening for urinary, digestive, and reproductive systems
What is the gizzard?
ventriculus
The crop is a site of impaction. True or false?
true
What side of the neck is the esophagus on?
right
Wtf is crop milk?
Some species produce “crop milk” (desquamated epithelial cells) for 2 weeks to feed young
What is grit used for?
small stones to aid ventriculus function
What species have a more muscular ventriculus?
herbivores
If you have to open the gizzard, where would you do it?
blind sac
Birds lack a gallbladder. True or false?
False- only some species lack a gallbladder
What sinus easily spreads infection to air sac system?
infraorbital sinus
Are the tracheal rings complete, incomplete or overlapping in the bird?
complete
Which side of the neck is the trachea located?
right side
What is the syrinx?
the avian voicebox
Where is the syrinx?
bifurcation of trachea
What is clinically significant about the syrinx?
common site for foreign bodies
What is different about avian lung location?
dorsally located pressed against thoracic vertebrae
What is different about the avian diaphragm?
they dont have one
Where does gas exchange occur?
parabronchi and air capillaries
What happens during inspiration?
air moves into the air sacs
What happens during expiration?
air moves out of air sacs
Which air sacs get fresh air?
caudal air sacs
Explain inspiration 1 & 2 and expiration 1 & 2.
inspiration 1: air goes into caudal air sac
expiration 1: air goes into lung
inspiration 2: air goes into cranial air sac
expiration 2: air goes out through trachea
Why is the avian respiratory system more efficient than mammals?
thinner blood-air barrier
counter-current blood flow
one-way air flow through lungs
pulmonary rigidity
Mammals have less dead space than birds. True or false?
False- mammals have more dead space than birds
What are celomic cavities?
body cavities
How many celomic cavities do birds have?
16
8 air sacs
8 other body cavities
Which direction does the aortic arch go in the bird?
right
Birds have high blood pressure than mammals. True or false?
true
Birds have more ______ blood vessels to maintain __________ of the heart beat.
collagenous; blood pressure
Birds are more prone to atherosclerosis with age. True or false?
True
What are venipuncture sites for birds?
deep ulnar vein
right jug
medial metatarsal v
toe-nail clipping for small amount
Which venipuncture site is least prone to extravasation?
right jug v
Birds have no urinary bladder or urethra. True or false?
True
Nerves from the rear limb go through the _____. Why is this clinically important?
kidney; kidney issues often present as a lameness
Which ovary is vestigial?
right
What organ is the female repro tract attached to?
left kidney
What does the oviduct consist of?
entire tract from infundibulum to vagina
One insemination for ___ days of fertilization.
10
What are the parts of the oviduct?
infundibulum, magnum, isthmus, uterus, vagina
Where is the shell gland?
in the uterus
