Birds

Evolved from reptiles Some groups are: waterfowl, shorebirds, birds of prey, game birds, songbirds, and penguins Feathers are modified from scales Feet are covered in scales Hollow bones – some fused b/c tendons weigh more (penguins don’t have hollow bones – why?)

Birds Very strong pectoral muscles Endothermic No bladder (makes them lighter) and urine is very concentrated Put a lot of energy into attracting mates and reproduction Beaks are adapted to gather food – varies depending on what it eats

Seabirds! birds that spend a significant part of their lives at sea waterproof feathers – due to oil from gland above base of tail – rub into feathers w/ beak eggs more resistant to water loss

Seabirds! nest on land feed at sea (at least some) 3% of 8600 species of birds are seabirds all over globe many are predators of fish, squid and invertebrates eat lots to maintain body temp.

Penguins flightless – wings more like flippers heavier bones – makes diving easier good swimmers – awkward on land cold temps. – layer of fat + feathers to trap air 17 species live at Antarctica – 1 at Galapagos Islands (equator) food varies – krill to fish and squid strong beaks breed in pairs – male incubates eggs while mom goes to eat – after hatching, mom and dad feed (leave babies w/ babysitters – identify by voice when return)

Emperor Penguin peror-penguin s/galapagos_penguin.html Galapagos penguin Macaroni penguin Gentoo penguin Humboldt penguin Adelie penguin efish/photogallery/Picture_of_Month/Jun04- YE_Penguin/Jun04-YE_Penguin.htm Yellow-eyed penguin hotonew/xpages/photo.asp?P hotoID=276 Fiordland penguin

Why don’t penguins’ feet freeze? Controls blood flow to feet – decreased in cold conditions, increased in warmer conditions Countercurrent system –arteries taking blood to feet give some heat to veins passing by (this keeps penguin from sending blood that is too cold back to the body) –but not all, keeps enough to keep feet a few degrees above freezing to avoid frostbite –also keeps too warm blood from going to feet (feet lose a lot of heat but not if there’s not a lot there!)

Tubenoses large group tube-like nostrils heavy beaks – curved at tip salt glands in nostrils get rid of excess salt good flyers – catch fish at surface males and females faithful 8+ months to incubate and care for chick ex. albatross, shearwaters, petrels

Albatross Graceful flyer, clumsy on land (big feet) Uses air currents as flies Prefers cephalopods for food Breeds late in life, mates for life – alternates incubating (2-3 weeks at a time) Make take 10 years to get adult plummage “albatross” comes from Portuguese word “alcatraz” = any large bird Some live up to 80 years

Pelicans and Allies webbing b/n all 4 toes Nest in colonies along coast Excrement = guano Guano deposits thick in dry coastal regions and islands – mined for fertilizer

Pelicans –Pouch below beak – can hold up to 2 gallons of water –Brown pelican was endangered – pop. numbers lowered by pesticide pollution –Beak full of water is too heavy – have to sit and wait for it to drain before can fly –Feed only their young –Air pockets beneath skin cushion chest and protect pelican from injury when diving

Cormorants Black w/ long necks Dive and pursue prey - mainly eats fish Float low in water – only necks above water Tail used as a rudder, webbed toes Fly low No waterproof oil so has to spread wings to dry them after diving

Frigate birds Used to be used to carry messages Narrow wings - has largest wingspan – to – weight ratio Forked tail – uses as rudders Steal food from other birds h_america/ecuador/galapagos_islan ds/frigate_bird_galapagos_islands Male during breeding season

Gulls and Allies Largest variety Predators and scavengers (eat almost anything) Jaegers and skuas – gull-like – steal food from other birds (and will eat other birds!)

Gulls Scavengers – will eat whatever they can find Mates for life – will only find a new mate when old one has died – take turns incubating and feeding Takes 3 years (molting each year) to get to adult plummage Rarely allow whole body to go under water

Terns Graceful in flight hover over prey before plunging for it – small fish = main diet Both incubate but females do most 43 species

Auk family Short-tailed, short-necked diving birds 23 species – including puffins and razorbills Most are dark on top, white bellies One = great auk  even more like penguin – now extinct (last one died in 1844)

Puffins heavy beaks – change colors during breeding season Crash lands b/c feet are so far back on body Mate for life – dig a burrow (or take over abandoned rabbit burrows), put baby in back and take turns incubating egg and then feeding baby Gulls like to eat their babies – often go out at night to avoid this

Razorbill black and white resembles penguins - fill role of penguin in N. Hemisphere Awkward on land – feet are for rudders when flying/swimming Molts all at once = flightless while growing feathers back Spends majority of life at sea use wings to swim underwater

Shorebirds Wading – don’t swim much More common in estuaries and marshes Ex. plovers, sandpipers, rails, coots, herons, egrets, and ducks sandpiper