Identification and Topography

External Anatomy

Nape (back of neck) Auriculars/Ear Coverts (ear coverings) Lore (between eyes and upper bill) Scapulars (shoulder) Wing Coverts (small feathers that cover base of flight feathers) Primaries (main flight feathers/lowest on wing) Secondaries (second from end of wing) Tail Feathers (Steering) Crown ( top of head ) Forehead Upper Mandible ( upper bill) Lower Mandible ( lower bill ) Throat Breast Abdomen Toes Claws Cere (bumps on upper beak, like parrots )

Bill Chin Cheek Throat Breast Flank/Side Belly/Abdomen Tarsus Foot Talon Primary Feathers Under Tail Coverts Topography

Tail Feathers Upper Tail Coverts Rump Back Nape Ear Patch or Auricular Crown Eye Eye line, eye stripe, or superciliary Forehead Lore Topography

Practice Find the crown. Notice anything?

Breast

Cere

Nape

Wing Coverts

Birding Basics Video Explanation Birding Basics Video Explanation Size and Shape About 10 min long

Birding Basics Video Explanation Birding Basics Video Explanation Color Pattern & Plumage About 10 min long

5 Characteristics used to ID Birds Shape, Size, and Posture Families of birds have different shape and size. They are identifiable by outline alone. This way you will narrow down the number of possible birds. Color, Pattern, and Plumage The marks that distinguish one bird from another are called field marks. These include such things as breast spots, wing bars (thin lines along the wings), eye rings (circles around the eyes), eyebrows (lines over the eyes), eye lines (lines through the eyes) and many others.

Size, Shape, Posture

Color Pattern / Plumage

5 Characteristics used to ID Birds Behavior Patterns Each bird family and even species can be narrowed down by the behavior displayed Habitat Type Birds have specific habitats. The most obvious are Ducks, and Gulls being water birds. Song and Calls Most birds can be identified by their sound. There are two major types of bird sound. Songs are usually by adult males during nesting or mating season. Calls are used all year long and can be warnings or interactions with other birds.

Behavior

Birding Basics Video Explanation Birding Basics Video Explanation Behavior About 10 min long

Habitat Type

Birding Basics Video Explanation Birding Basics Video Explanation Habitat About 10 min long

Songs/Calls Songs: Purpose is for males in mating or nesting procedures. Thrush Song Calls: Purpose for warnings and interactions. Used ALL YEAR LONG. Magpie warning a cat

There are many different Orders of birds Falconiformes Galliformes Anseriformes Piciformes Psittaciformes Apodiformes Strigiformes Columbiformes Gruiformes Ciconiiformes Passeriformes Pelecaniformes You need to know these ones!

Falconiformes Eagles, Hawks, Falcons Feature: Diurnal Birds of Prey

Galliformes Turkeys! Quail and Grouse Feature: Fowl-Like and Mostly ground birds

Anseriformes Ducks, Geese, and Swans Feature: Water-Fowl Feathered Oil Gland

Piciformes Woodpeckers Feature: Zygodactyl feet (2 toes up & 2 back), unique tendons in toes, cavity nesters

Psittaciformes Parrots Feature: Heavy, hooked bill & Zygodactyl feet (2 toes up & 2 back)

Apodiformes Hummingbirds Feature: Small, short legs & tiny feet. Long, slender bill.

Strigiformes Owls Feature: Nocturnal birds of prey

Columbiformes Doves and Pigeons Large crop to produce “crop” milk for offspring

Gruiformes Cranes Feature: No crop, fly with straight neck

Ciconiiformes Storks Feature: Long Leg & Long Neck. Fly with neck in tight “S” shape.

Passeriformes Jays, Finches, Crows Feature: Perching Birds, anisodactyl feet (3 toes up & 1 back)

Pelecaniformes Pelicans Feature: Gular Sac