Birds 1 Flashcards
1
Q
What is the Latin name for birds?
A
Aves or neornithes.
2
Q
When did true birds first appear?
A
Creataceous period.
3
Q
Describe how birds primarily grind up food.
A
They make use of their horny beak and muscular gizzard. Birds often fill it with gravel and pebbles to help grind.They are toothless.
4
Q
Define homoplasy.
A
Feature has evolved on multiple occasions amongst different species.
5
Q
How do birds conserve heat?
A
- Withdraw beak and feet into plumage
- Arteries and veins are in close proximity that allows heat energy to be recaptured and saved
- Migration
- Torpor (hibernation) only common poorwill.
6
Q
Describe the circulatory system of birds.
A
- 4 chambered hearts: 2 atria and 2 ventricles
- Larger hearts than mammals (relative to body size)
- unidirectional air flow.
7
Q
Compare birds to reptiles.
A
- Relative reduction in olfactory bulbs
- Relative expansion of optic lobes
- Relative expansion of forebrain.
8
Q
Describe Avain eye adaptions.
A
- Large relative to head and brain
- Larger eye provides larger and sharper images
- 3 eyelids for ocular cleansing
- 4 photoreceptors (3 for most other vertebrates) for tetra-chromatic vision and UV colours
- Has magnetic vision which is light dependent.
9
Q
Describe hearing adaptions in owls.
A
- Asymmetrical ear openings - allows to accurately note differences in intensity and timing of sounds
- Fascial mask - radar dish guiding sounds into ear openings
- Echolocation for orientation in the dark.
10
Q
Describe Paleognathae.
A
- No keel
- Flightless
- e.g. ostrich.
10
Q
Describe neognathae.
A
- Flexible palate
- Possess keel
- e.g. Penguins.
10
Q
What are the sub groups of Aves?
A
- Paleognathae
* Neognathae.
10
Q
What is unique to birds?
A
Feathers. 🕊
10
Q
Describe the main features of birds.
A
- Feathers
- Horny beak
- Muscular gizzard
- Great diversity of beak morphology for diet specialisation & niche partitioning
- Bipedal
- Wings.
11
Q
Describe egg development in birds.
A
- Amniote egg
* Strictly oviparous.
