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CLASS AVES: THE BIRDS

CLASS AVES: THE BIRDS . BIOLOGY OF NATURE..BIRDS . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGkP7IrDp_4&feature=related. General Info. Nearly 10,000 species  largest class of terrestrial vertebrates Most recently evolved group of vertebrates Appeared about 150 million years ago

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CLASS AVES: THE BIRDS

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  1. CLASS AVES: THE BIRDS

  2. BIOLOGY OF NATURE..BIRDS • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGkP7IrDp_4&feature=related

  3. General Info • Nearly 10,000 species  largest class of terrestrial vertebrates • Most recently evolved group of vertebrates • Appeared about 150 million years ago • Bodies of MOST are well adapted to flight • Among living vertebrates, ONLY BIRDS & BATS can fly

  4. Characteristics • All birds-even those that cannot fly-share 7 important characteristics: • Feathers • Wings • Lightweight, rigid skeleton • Endothermic metabolism • Unique respiratory system • Beak • Oviparity

  5. FEATHERS • Unique to all birds • All birds have them • Composed mainly of the versatile protein keratin • Essential for flight • Insulate a bird’s body against heat loss

  6. 3 types of feathers: down, contour, flight (see vocab) • Structure of feather combines maximum strength with minimum weight • Birds preen to care for the feathers • Birds molt to shed/regrow the feathers • Birds living in temperate climates usually replace their feathers during late summer

  7. W I N G S • Forelimb’s are modified into a pair of wings • Feathers cover most the surface area of the wing

  8. Lightweight, rigid skeleton • Skeleton reflects requirements of flight • Many of the bones are thin-walled & hollow (lighter bones) • Air sacs from respiratory system penetrate some of the bones • Because many bones are fused, the skeleton is rigid and can resist the forces produced by the strong flight muscles

  9. ENDOTHERMIC metabolism • Bird’s rapid metabolism supplies the energy needed for flight *Metabolism=sum total of all chemical rx in body • Maintain a high body temp 40-41 degrees C (104-106 degrees F) • Humans is 37 degrees C (98.6 degrees F)

  10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUYu44ctmZY • Hummingbirds.. high rate of metabolism requires a heart beat of up to 200 beats per minute which they slow to 35 beats a minute during roosting at night. "When active they can more than double their heart beat to 500 per minute. Compared to a robin who has a heart beat of about 30 per minute.

  11. Unique RESPIRATORY system • Rapid metabolism requires an abundant supply of oxygen • Birds have the most efficient respiratory system of any terrestrial vertebrates • Lungs are connected to several sets of air sacs  arrangement ensures that oxygen-rich air is always in the lungs

  12. FLOW OF AIR • Air enters body thru paired nostrils located near base of beak • Air passes down trachea and enters the 2 primary bronchi • From bronchi, some of air moves to lungs & flows directly to posterior sacs • In most birds, 9 sacs extend from lungs & occupy large portion of chest & abdominal cavity • Sacs also extend into some of the long bones *reducing density

  13. Gas exchange doesn’t occur in air sacs—fx is only to store & redirect air • When bird exhales, oxygen-poor air from its lungs is forced into the anterior air sacs & the oxygen-rich air in the posterior air sacs is forced into lungs

  14. BEAK • NO MODERN BIRD HAS TEETH • The jaws are covered by a tough, horny sheath called a beak • Structure & function go hand in hand  especially dealing with beaks • Diet plays a huge part in this!

  15. OVIPARITY • All birds lay amniotic eggs encases in a hard, calcium-containing shell • In most species, the eggs are incubated by one or both parents

  16. EMU EGGS • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Szcf4wN4YcA&feature=related • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvcXGQqhOb8 • These are Emu Eggs, the Emu is native to Australia and is the second largest bird in the world. The largest is the Ostrich. These are fertile Emu eggs, which are prepared for incubation. Incubation can take up to 52 days and requires lower incubation temperatures than chicken eggs. A chicken egg hatches in 21 days. An adult Emu may stand 6 feet tall and weigh up to 150 pounds.

  17. BIRDS BRAINS • Relative to body size, birds have large brains • Most highly developed area are those that control flight-related functions (cerebellum-coordinates movement) • Cerebrum is large also b/c it controls complex behavior patterns ( navigation, nest building, caring for young)

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