Exam 2 Flashcards
What does the avian respiratory system do? How does it flow?
They supply oxygen to the cells, remove CO2 produced during energy expending activities, and removes heat. It flows in ONE DIRECTION!
What are nares?
They are the external opening of the nasal cavity, which can come in many forms.
What is the choana?
It is what separates the nasal cavity from the oral cavity when shut.
What are the pharynx and larynx?
The pharynx lets in food and air, while the layrnx is responsible for regulating the flow of air into the trachea, via rings of cartilage around the trachea.
What are some of the forms nares come in?
Nares can be nestled within the cere, like in raptors and parrots, or have operculum (small discs that keep debris out) in ground-foraging groups, or be “tubes” like in procellariformes, or even have no external nares, like in diving birds such as Northern Gannets.
What are bird lungs like?
They are very small and dense. They are also very deeply entrenched into the rips on the dorsolateral aspects, and this gives them big “slits”.
How many air sacs does in a typical bird have?
Nine.
What are the inside of bird lungs like?
The trachea branches a bunch, and decreases in diameter with each branch. Parabronchi are the smallest tubes, and contain vesicles filled with air. AS blood flows through these, oxygen and CO2 are exchanged.
What must birds balance?
Energy, food waste and CO2, temperature, salt content, and water content to maintain homeostasis.
What is basal metabolism?
The minimum energy used by resting birds fasting at non-stressful (thermal neutral) temperatures.
What are evolved strategies birds have to stay at the thermoneutral zones?
They have evolved rapid response behaviours, acclimatory or seasonal adjustment to thermoneutral zones, and morphological or developmental changes.
What is Bergmann’s Rule?
Individuals in colder regions are, on average, bigger than birds in warmer climates. In a study, 73% of 94 birds studied followed this rule.
