Birds Flashcards
What are the defining characteristics of birds?
Acronym: FATHEAP
- Feathers
- Active metabolism
–Lack of TEETH; epidermal covered bony beak
–Homeothermy
–Laying of EGGS
–Adaptations for flight
–Pneumatic bones.
Describe how birds are physically adapted for flight.
Acronym: SELMEC
–streamlined –efficient metabolism –lightness –motor development of brain –eyesight (visual acuity) –centralization of weight
Describe purpose and structure of rachis.
The main shaft in the feather that supports the whole structure.
–While growing, the rachis has blood vessels carry nutrients (AKA blood feathers).
–When mature blood vessels die, rachis is sealed at the base, leaving a shaft hollow. This helps to make the feather very light
Describe purpose and structure of barbs
Barbs branch off the rachis.
Describe purpose and structure of barbules.
Barbules branch off the barbs
Describe purpose and structure of barbicels.
Barbicels branch off the barbules. - tiny –generally hook–shaped –interweave with each other –hold the vane of the feather together(velcro)"
Describe purpose and structure of contour feathers.
–most specialized of all feathers (flight feathers)
–form the outline of the body of a bird (streamlined look)
–all of the feathers of the outer body as well as those of the wings and tail.
Describe purpose and structure of semiplumes.
–In appearance, between contour and down feathers–combining a large rachis with downy vanes
–They fill in or smooth out the various contours of a bird’s body while insulating it
–provide flexibility at constricted areas, such as the base of the wings.
–are usually hidden beneath the contour feathers and are small and often white
Describe purpose and structure of down feathers.
Structure:
–each down feather has a quill and a soft head of fluffy barbs, but lack barbules
Purpose:
–underplumage of a bird –main function insulation against the cold weather.
–these feathers are especially numerous in ducks/water birds
–in some species of water birds down is use to line the nest and keep the eggs warm.
–chicks of some species are covered with down when they hatch.
Describe purpose and structure of powder down feathers.
–Insulation
–Grow continuously
–instead of being molted, their tips disintegrate into a powdery substance.
–the powder serves to soak up water, blood, and slime, thus protecting the feathers and making preening easier.
Describe purpose and structure of bristles.
“–not all species of birds have bristle feathers–bristles are specialized feathers – tactile function
–they have a stiff, tapered rachis and few, if any barbs that appear only at the base of the feather
–usually found: head or neck, mouth or eyelids
–in some insect eaters – around the mouth: possibly act as funnels, helping the birds to scoop insects out of the air
–long facial bristles in owls are thought to aid the bird in sensing nearby objects
–woodpeckers have bristle feathers over their nostrils, to filter out dust produced as they drill holes in trees”
Describe purpose and structure of filoplumes
–filoplumes are always situated beside other feathers
–simple, hair–like structures that grow in circles around the base of contour or down feathers
–origins of filoplumes is currently under debate.
–may assist in the nerve endings in the follicle, thus play a key role in keeping contours in place during preening, display, and flight.
Describe purpose and structure of primaries, secondaries, tertiaries.
“–Primary feather propel the bird through the air. They are the largest of the flight feathers and are the farthest away from the body. If damaged or lost, a bird cannot fly. PRIMARIES PROPEL
–Secondary feathers run along the arm of the wing and sustain the bird in the air, giving it lift. Perching birds have 9 or 10, others have 20. SECONDARIES SUSTAIN
–Tertiaries are the few flight feathers on upper wings. Numbers vary among species
Describe how wings are shaped for gliding, soaring, rapid takeoff, high speed.
–gliding: long narrow pointed wings
–soaring: long broad wings with large surface area
–rapid takeoff: short rounded wings
–high speed: small narrow, tapered wings
Describe the bill shapes used for eating insects, seeds, aquatic invertebrates, fish, filter feeding, skimming
–eating insects: woodpecker chisel–like bills, wrens thin probing bills
–eating seeds: crossbills crossed bills to extract from pinecones, hawfinches crack seeds open, macaws hooked bills for nuts
–aquatic life: herons spear fish,
-avocets sweep curved up bill for inverts
–filter feed: mallards filter, shovelers spatula shaped bill, flamingos use lamellae to filter
–skimming: skimmers use elongated mandible
