Ami Flowers Luis Candelario 2014 International Issues in Conservation
Approximately 9600 bird species in the world Believed to have reptilian origin (150 mya) Jurassic period Archaeopteryx lithographica “Ancient wing inscribed in stone” Largest– Ostrich at 317lbs Smallest – Scintillant Hummingbird at 2.25 g
6-9 ft 6.5 cm
FEATHERS! Skeletal System Bones hollow or thin Bones fused Skin Glands (lack of) Uropygial gland at base of tail Waterproof feathers Excretory System Lack urinary bladder Uric acid – highly concentrated Reproductive System One working ovary (left) Gonads enlarge during breeding season Oviparous Digestive System Eat high calorie foods Quick digestion (1 hr) Nervous System Well-developed brain Excellent eye sight Anosmic – reduced or no sense of smell
Contour Feather Form outline of the body Remiges – flight feathers Retrices – tail feathers Semiplumes Plumaceous – loose-vaned Lack hamuli (hooks) Under contour feathers Aid in insulation and buoyancy Filoplumes Hair-like Small vane at tip or no vane Aid in sensing
Down Soft feathers lacking vanes Short rachus Beneath contour feathers Aid in insulation Bristles Vaneless Found around eyes, mouth, nostrils For sensory and air filtration
Anisodactyl Hallux is behind and the other three toes are in front Passerines Zygodactyl Toes arranged in pairs Two up front, two in the back Woodpeckers Syndactyl Third and fourth toes fused Kingfishers Pamprodactyl All four toes are forward Hummingbirds and Swifts
Palmate Front three toes are webbed Ducks and gulls Semipalmate Anterior of toes half- webbed Plovers Totipalmate All four toes are webbed Comorants Lobate Toes are lobed Grebes
Songs Local vocal displays with specific repeated patterns Species specific Mainly by males Functions to identify: Species Sex Territory Vigor (mating) Calls Short, simple vocalizations Often a single note Intra/interspecific Both males and females Variety of functions: Warning Feeding Nest Flocking
In Botswana and South Africa
Order Pelicaniformes Family Ardeidae Grey Heron Family Ciconiidae Saddle-billed Stork
Family Threskiornithidae Hadeda Ibis Family Scopidae Hammerkop
Family Charadriidae Blacksmith Lapwing White-crowned Lapwing Three-banded Plover
Order Anseriformes Family Anatidae Egyptian Geese Order Apodiformes Family Apodidae African Palm-swift
Family Accipitridae Bateleur African Fish Eagle
Family Accipitridae Martial Eagle Tawny Eagle Verreaux’s Eagle
Family Accipitridae Lappett-faced Vulture White-backed Vulture
Family Accipitridae White-headed Vulture Cape Vulture
Lappet-faced Vulture White-backed Vulture White-headed Vulture Cape Vulture
Family Strigidae Verreaux’s Eagle-owl Spotted Eagle-owl Pel’s Fishing Owl Pearl Spotted Owlet
Family Phasianidae Crested Francolin Natal Francolin Swainson’s Spurfowl
Family Numididae Helmeted Guineafowl Crested Guineafowl
Order Caprimulgiformes Family Caprimulgidae Fiery-necked Nightjar Order Pteroclidiformes Family Pteroclidae Double-breasted Sandgrouse
Family Columbidae African Green Pigeon Namaqua Dove Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
Family Columbidae Cape Turtle Dove Red-eyed Dove Laughing Dove
Family Psittacidae Brown-headed Parrot Grey-headed Parrot Meyer’s Parrot
Family Musophagidae Grey Go-away-bird
Family Coliidae Speckled Mousebird Red-faced Mousebird
Family Alcedinidae Giant Kingfisher Pied Kingfisher Striped Kingfisher
Family Meropidae White-fronted Bee-eater Little Bee-eater
Family Coraciidae Lilac-breasted Roller Racket-tailed Roller
Family Upupidae African Hoopoe Family Phoeniculidae Green Wood-hoopoe
Family Bucerotidae Red-billed Hornbill Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill
Family Picidae Golden-tailed Woodpecker Cardinal Woodpecker Bearded Woodpecker
Family Lybidaee Black-collared Barbet Crested Barbet
Family Buphagidae Yellow-billed Oxpecker Red-billed Oxpecker
Family Cisticolidae Rattling Cisticola Red-faced Cisticola Grey-backed Camaroptera Yellow-breasted Apalis Tawny-flanked Prinia
Family Dicruridae Fork-tailed Drongo Family Muscicapidae Southern Black Flycatcher
Family Emberizidae Cinnamon-breasted Bunting Golden-breasted Bunting Family Fringillidae Lemon-breasted Canary Yellow-fronted Canary
Family Estrilididae Blue Waxbill Green-winged Pytilia Family Sylviide Burnt-necked Eremomela Green-capped Eremomela
Family Malaconotidae Tropical BouBou Brubru Black-backed Puffback Orange-breasted Bush- shrike
Family Motacillidae African Pied Wagtail Family Platysteirnidae Chinspot Batis
Family Muscicapidae African Stone Chat Bearded Scrub-robin White-browed Scrub-robin White-throated Robin-chat White-browed Robin-chat
Family Turdidae Kurrichane Thrush Family Nectariniidae White-bellied Sunbird Marico Sunbird
Family Oriolidae Black-headed Oriole Family Pyconotidae Dark-capped Bulbul
Family Ploceidae Red-billed Quelea Red-billed Buffalo Weaver Family Prionopidae White-crested Helmet Shrike Southern White-crowned Shrike
Family Timaliidae Arrow-marked Babbler Family Sturnidae Meve’s Starling