Aves - Birds

What is a Bird? •Feathers •Endothermic •4-chambered heart •Scales on legs & feet •Hollow & lightweight bones •Well developed lungs with air sacs •Ex: owl, eagle, duck, chicken, pigeon, penguin, stork, etc.

Evolution of Birds Birds are believed to have evolved from dinosaurs similar to velociraptors. Once classified as a bird ancestor, the Archaeopteryx is now considered a branch that is an off-shoot of the dinosaurs.

Bird feathers and bones Bones are lightweight but strong. Feathers protect and insulate.

Bird Anatomy

Bird Respiration One-way airflow constantly exposes the lungs to oxygen rich air. This helps maintain a bird’s high metabolic rate.

Bird Circulation Birds are endothermic which means they generate their own body heat and maintain a fairly constant body temperature.

Bird Excretion Uric Acid – a white pasty excretory substance what has most of the water removed from it.

Bird Brain Well developed senses allow birds to coordinate movement for flight and do things like see in color.

Bird Movement Large chest muscles attached to a long keel that runs down the front of a large sternum allows birds to flap wings.

Orders of Birds Falconiformes Galliformes

Orders of Birds Anseriformes Strigiformes

Orders of Birds Columbiformes Passeriformes

Orders of Birds Piciformes Sphenisciformes

Ecology of Birds •Birds can help pollinate flowers. •Birds help control insect populations. •Chemical dumped in an ecosystem can accumulate in a food chain and possibly affect species.