Birds

Question 1

Name at least four characteristics birds have in common.

Answer 1

feathers, beaks, four chamber heart, endothermic, wings, egg layers, breathe air

Question 2

Do birds have a higher or lower body temperature than humans?

Answer 2

significantly higher, 109 - 112 degrees F

Question 3

Birds have become highly specialized for flight. Name at least two specific modifications birds have evolved for flight.

Answer 3

hollow bones/honeycomb bones
one ovary, no gall bladder, egg laying
small or no teeth

Question 4

Are living cells present in fully formed feathers?

Answer 4

NO

Question 5

Feathers that chiefly cover a bird’s body and give it form are called

Answer 5

contour featers

Question 6

The chief function of down feathers is to

Answer 6

conserve heat

Question 7

Powder down feathers help ______________ the other feathers.

Answer 7

waterproof and preserve

Question 8

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 __________.

Answer 8

uropygial
to secret oil and waterproof and preserve feathers
ostrich, emu, woodpecker, parrots
powederdown

Question 9

The color in feathers may be due to either ______________ or _________________.

Answer 9

pigmentation or structure

Question 10

Since feathers wear out, they need to be replaced. This process is called ____________________. How often do birds do this?

Answer 10

molting
adults - two times a year
babies - four times a year

Question 11

Many bird’s bones are ______________________.

Answer 11

honeycomb or hollow

Question 12

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_________________________.

Answer 12

side
binocular or stereoscopic
perceive depth

Question 13

Food is stored in a ___________________.

Answer 13

crop

Question 14

The part of the stomach that is muscular and acts as a filter for indigestible fragments in food is the _______________________.

Answer 14

gizzard

Question 15

What is a cloaca?

Answer 15

common chamber for waste and reproduction expulsion

Question 16

Name at least four types of nests:

Answer 16

ground, natural, burrow, rudimentary, branch

Question 17

Do all birds lay a specific number of eggs? Explain.

Answer 17

yes/no
determinate layers - don’t lay more
indeterminate layers lay more if first removed

Question 18

Describe a brood patch.

Answer 18

area without feathers to keep eggs warm

Question 19

What is the difference between precocial and altricial?

Answer 19

precocial - active young right away, need very little parental care
altricial - lots of development to still do and extremely dependent on parents

Question 20

Give at least three examples of beak types and how they relate to food habits.

Answer 20

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)

Question 21

Give at least three examples of foot shapes and how they relate to a particular bird’s environment or behavior.

Answer 21

Duck - webbed feet for swimming
Woodpecker - climbing tow toes pointing forward and two pointing backward
Ostrich - thick toes made for running

Question 22

In general, how do birds of the canopy and the lower layer of the rain forest differ in color?

Answer 22

ground dwellers - drab coloring

top dwellers - much more colorful (flowers)

Question 23

Visitors often think flamingos cannot fly. What would you tell them?

Answer 23

Flamingos are great flyers, migrate long distances in the wild, no need to fly in the zoo

Question 24

Visitors often notice the bill of the flamingo. What would you say to a visitor about the bill?

Answer 24

Seining bill - made to sift/filter small crestacean from the water while the tongue pumps water out, comb like edges

Question 25

What do we mean when we say “waterfowl”?

Answer 25

birds that live in the water

Question 26

What are the three main ways a waterfowl feed?

Answer 26

grazing, dappling, diving

Question 27

During the male’s post-nuptial molt, can he fly?

Answer 27

No - all feathers molt at once

Question 28

Name three types of raptors.

Answer 28

hawk, owl, falcon, eagle

Question 29

How does raptor vision compare with ours?

Answer 29

8 to 10 times better
stereoscopic like ours
owls eyes are fixed

Question 30

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

Answer 30

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

Question 31

How would you describe a pheasant?

Answer 31

rounded body, wings, short legs, ground bird

Question 32

Can peafowl fly?

Answer 32

yes - short flights, long glides, roost in trees at night

Question 33

Name at least three characteristics of parrots.

Answer 33

head relatively large, short neck, prehensile toes, hinged upper back

Question 34

How can you identify a cockatoo?

Answer 34

by their crest