Bio 123: PP19 Material Flashcards
What is the class that birds fall under?
The Aves
Avian Diversity
-11,000 species
- worldwide distribution
-one of the most beloved groups of vertebrate animals
- Very diverse in form and function, but they have underlying uniformities
- First birds appeared during the Jurassic age
What is a common characteristic that all birds share?
They all have feathers
Earliest evolution of Birds
Birds evolved from the transitional species called Archaeopteryx. This species had both reptilian and bird characteristics.
What were some characteristics of the Archaeopteryx?
-Toothed beak
- Wing claw
- Airfoil wing with contour feathers
- Long tail with many vertebrae
What is the science of birds?
Ornithology
When did bones first appear?
With boney fish
What is the breakdown of bird anatomy?
They have a body spindle-shape with 4 divisions; the head, neck, trunk, and tail
Forelimbs of birds
They are modified as wings
Characteristic of flying birds
They have a fully ossified skeleton with air cavities. These cavities allow the birds to be less dense which is important for birds that are capable of flying.
Mouth of birds
They do not have teeth, they only have a beak
Brain of birds
They have a large cerebellum with advanced optic lobes. This is important because it gives the birds balance and stability
Heart of birds
They have a four chambered heart and it is fully divided between the left and right sides. Birds are the first animals on the planet to have a true 4 chamber heart.
Respiration of birds
Birds have two cycles of respiration with air constantly moving over its lungs
Thermoregulation of birds
Birds are endothermic
Waste of birds
They do not have a bladder, they have uric acid main waste which is combination of its poop and liquid waste.
Type of fertilization of birds
They have internal fertilization and are oviparous
Baby bird characterisitcs
Are either precocial or altricial
Most diverse order of bird
The Passeriformes (known as the song birds) are the most diverse order of birds. Which includes 6,500 species. These birds have a syrinx which allows them to use their vocals to create songs.
Septum
Separates Deoxygenated blood and oxygenated blood
Endothermic
Mammals and birds maintain a constant internal temperature.
Altricial
Young that are helpless at birth and completely rely on parental care for survivorship.
Precocial
Young that are ready to withstand their environment as soon as they are born.
Syrinx
Is a specialized characteristics for the production of song.