Archaeopteryx

• Possible link between birds & reptiles (150 mya)

Reptilian char-
• Large skull, reptile like teeth

• Bones solid

• Claws on forelimbs

• Long tail

Bird Char.-
• Strong legs & rounded wings for gliding

• Feathers

• Furculum - fused collarbone or wishbone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5kzxOtv
Cjc
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves-birds
Traits:
Air sacs/hollow bones make bird lighter
feathers
4 chambered heart
endothermic
Beaks and feet adapted for food and habitat
Evolved from dinosaurs in Mesozoic era (@100 mya)
Scales on legs- similar to reptiles
 General Bird Anatomy

SZ4- Students will assess how animals interact with their

environment including key adaptation found within animal taxa.
Birds Have the Highest Metabolism
 Metabolic Adaptations
• Birds have high metabolism
• Endothermic, 4 chambered heart
• Lungs, air sacs for increased
oxygen avail.
• Crop and gizzard(grinds food) in digestive tract
• Metanephric kidney excretes uric acid- prevents
water loss
• Counter-current circulation
Respiration
Counter-Current Circulation
 Excretion – Uric Acid
• Uric acid metabolic
excretion
• (Saves water)
 Adaptations for Flight
Feathers- modified scales

Pectoral appendages = wings

Lightweight skeleton filled w/ air sacs

High metabolic rate

Endothermic- regulate temp. internally

Fused furculum (wishbone)

keeled sternum
Types of Feathers
Keeled Furculum and Sternum
Wings
Flight Forces
 Avian Reproduction
• Amniotic egg
• Internal fertilization
• Oviparous- eggs laid
outside of body
• Both parents care for eggs
• Precocial young- active at hatching
• Altricial young- helpless and naked at
hatching
• migration
Egg Shapes
Starling Nests
Weaver Bird Nest
 Bower Bird Nest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPb
WJPsBPdA
Brood Parasitism

Cardinal or Cowbird
eggs?

mommy crime

cuckoo
Males are More Colorful
Migration
 Checkpoint
1. List three adaptations that allow birds to
have a high metabolism.
2. List three adaptations that allow birds to fly.
3. What type of egg does a bird have?
4. What is the name of the class the bird
belongs to?
 Avian Classification
• 28 orders
• 9600 species

SZ1- Students will derive the

phylogeny of animal taxa using
informative characteristics
SZ3- Students will compare form and
function relationships within animal
groups and across key taxa.
32
 Super Orders of Birds
• Superorder Archaeornithes- “ancient
birds”, extinct ex. Archaeopteryx
• Superorder Neornithes- “new” birds-
modern
Paleognathae- “old jaw”
Neognathae- “new jaw”
Paleognathae- Order Struthioniformes
• Large flightless bird
• Two toes
• Old jaw
• Ex. ostriches

34
Neognathae- Order Pelecaniformes
• Pelicans, cormorants,
boobies

35
Neo- Order Ciconiiformes
• Long legs for wading
• Long necks
• Pink or orange because of
carotenoids in algae and
brine shrimp that eat
algae
• Liver enzymes break
down the carotenoids
into pink and orange
pigments that are
deposited into feathers,
bill, and legs

36
Order Anseriformes
• Flat bill
• Webbed feet
• Swans, geese, ducks

37
Order Falconiformes
• Hooked bill
• Talons
• Eagle
• Hawk
• Falcon

38
Order Passeriformes
• Perching foot
• Songbirds
• 5000 species
• Mocking bird
• Thrushes
• Swallows
• Magpie
• Crow
• Starling
• Jays
• Lyres-
https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y

39
Order Columbiformes
• Short neck
• Short legs
• Pigeons
• Doves

40
Order Strigiformes
• Large eyes
• Silent flight
• Nocturnal predator
• Owls
• http://www.owlpages.c
om/sounds/Strix-varia-
3.mp3

41
Order Apodiformes
• Small bird
• Rapid wingbeat
• Hummingbirds

42
Order Galliformes
• Chicken like
• Strong beaks
• Heavy feet
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Pheasants
• Quail

43
Order Charadriiformes
• Short bill
• Strong fliers
• Shorebirds
• Gulls

44
Order Psittaciformes
• Thick tongue
• Hinged and movable
upper beak
• Bright colors
• Parrots
• Parakeets

45
Order Piciformes
• Two toes forward and
two toes backward
• woodpeckers

46
Order Sphenisciformes
• Webbed feet
• Wings as used for
swimming
• penquins

47
The End

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