Birds Flashcards
Name at least four characteristics birds have in common.
feathers, beaks, four chamber heart, endothermic, wings, egg layers, breathe air
Do birds have a higher or lower body temperature than humans?
significantly higher, 109 - 112 degrees F
Birds have become highly specialized for flight. Name at least two specific modifications birds have evolved for flight.
hollow bones/honeycomb bones
one ovary, no gall bladder, egg laying
small or no teeth
Are living cells present in fully formed feathers?
NO
Feathers that chiefly cover a bird’s body and give it form are called
contour featers
The chief function of down feathers is to
conserve heat
Powder down feathers help ______________ the other feathers.
waterproof and preserve
The preen or __________ gland is the only prominent skin gland in birds. Its function is _______________ Some birds do not have this gland (like the _________ and ________________ birds). Instead, these birds preen with __________.
uropygial
to secret oil and waterproof and preserve feathers
ostrich, emu, woodpecker, parrots
powederdown
The color in feathers may be due to either ______________ or _________________.
pigmentation or structure
Since feathers wear out, they need to be replaced. This process is called ____________________. How often do birds do this?
molting
adults - two times a year
babies - four times a year
Many bird’s bones are ______________________.
honeycomb or hollow
Most birds, in general, have eyes that are placed on the __________ of their head, so each eye sees a different view. Raptors, however, have _______________ vision, which means they can_________________________.
side
binocular or stereoscopic
perceive depth
Food is stored in a ___________________.
crop
The part of the stomach that is muscular and acts as a filter for indigestible fragments in food is the _______________________.
gizzard
What is a cloaca?
common chamber for waste and reproduction expulsion
Name at least four types of nests:
ground, natural, burrow, rudimentary, branch
Do all birds lay a specific number of eggs? Explain.
yes/no
determinate layers - don’t lay more
indeterminate layers lay more if first removed
Describe a brood patch.
area without feathers to keep eggs warm
What is the difference between precocial and altricial?
precocial - active young right away, need very little parental care
altricial - lots of development to still do and extremely dependent on parents
Give at least three examples of beak types and how they relate to food habits.
Probing - sucking nectar deep from within a flower (hummingbird)
Seining - filter small aquatic life from water (Flamingo)
Hooks/Meat Eating - made to tear flesh - predatory (Raptors)
Prying - strong like a chisel (Woodpecker)
Give at least three examples of foot shapes and how they relate to a particular bird’s environment or behavior.
Duck - webbed feet for swimming
Woodpecker - climbing tow toes pointing forward and two pointing backward
Ostrich - thick toes made for running
In general, how do birds of the canopy and the lower layer of the rain forest differ in color?
ground dwellers - drab coloring
top dwellers - much more colorful (flowers)
Visitors often think flamingos cannot fly. What would you tell them?
Flamingos are great flyers, migrate long distances in the wild, no need to fly in the zoo
Visitors often notice the bill of the flamingo. What would you say to a visitor about the bill?
Seining bill - made to sift/filter small crestacean from the water while the tongue pumps water out, comb like edges
What do we mean when we say “waterfowl”?
birds that live in the water
What are the three main ways a waterfowl feed?
grazing, dappling, diving
During the male’s post-nuptial molt, can he fly?
No - all feathers molt at once
Name three types of raptors.
hawk, owl, falcon, eagle
How does raptor vision compare with ours?
8 to 10 times better
stereoscopic like ours
owls eyes are fixed
Choose three raptors on exhibit at the Zoo, and name at least one adaptation for each bird and what purpose that adaptation serves.
Name of Bird Adaptation Purpose
Vulture, huge beak to tear open carcasses, bald head to resist infection
Owls, facial disk to hear and see better, eyes 8 to 10 times better then humans - night hunting
Bald Eagle, hooked beak - for tearing flesh
How would you describe a pheasant?
rounded body, wings, short legs, ground bird
Can peafowl fly?
yes - short flights, long glides, roost in trees at night
Name at least three characteristics of parrots.
head relatively large, short neck, prehensile toes, hinged upper back
How can you identify a cockatoo?
by their crest
