flight adaptation in birds
- 1. FLIGHT ADAPTATION IN BIRDS Represented by- Pranaya Prasad Kar Bs-18-085 Zoology (Hons) 2nd year
- 2. INTRODUCTION
- 3. Birds have many adaptations for flight.
- 4. • Birds and many theropods share anatomical features. – hollow bones – fused collarbones that form V-shaped wishbone – rearranged muscles in the hips and legs – “hands” that have lost their fourth and fifth fingers – feathers
- 5. • The oldest undisputed fossilized bird is Archaeopteryx.
- 6. • A bird’s body is specialized for flight. • Birds have several unique features that allow them to fly. – wings to produce flight – strong flight muscles to move the wings – active metabolism that provides energy to the muscles – hollow bone structure to minimize weight – gonads active during only part of year
- 7. - airfoli shape - covered with feathers • Wings are structures that enable birds to fly.
- 8. • Air sacs help a bird meet its oxygen demand during flight.
- 9. • The shape of a bird’s wing reflects the way it flies. – short and broad – long and narrow • Birds have spread to many ecological niches.
- 10. • The shape of a bird’s wing reflects the way it flies. - wide and broad - stout and tapered
- 11. • Differences in the shape of a bird’s beak reflects how it eats. – spearlike – hooked – chisel-shaped blue-footed booby Bald eagle green woodpecker
- 12. • Birds show great diversity in their foot shape. – webbed – heavy claws – different toe location blue-footed booby bald eagle green woodpecker
- 14. • Feather Types
- 16. • Flight feathers and the Wing • Primaries – Attached to hand – Asymmetrical vanes – Owls have silent flight because of barbs on front of vane – Generate thrust (forward motion) • Secondaries – Attached to ulna – Generate lift • Tail feathers – Function in steering and braking
- 17. • Wing shapes Great once in the air, but first need to get launched! - Mastery of Flight beginning of video
- 18. • Feather care • Birds preen up to once an hour! • Some preening glands have lipids which resist keratin eating fungi and bacteria
- 19. • Adaptations for flight: Anatomical • Feathers • Wing • Reproduction (internal, eggs) • Bones
- 20. • Anatomical adaptations: Bones • Lightweight, strutted or hollow • No teeth • Modified forelimb • Fused bones of pelvis, feet, hands, head • Uncinate processes on ribs • Furcula (wishbone)
- 21. • Flight Adaptations: Physiological adaptations • Endothermic • Separate red and white muscle fibers
- 22. • Flight Adaptations: Red versus White fibers • Red fibers = sustained work, ability to produce heat by shivering • White fibers – powerful stroke but cannot be sustained
- 23. • High metabolic demands require rapid circulation of high volumes of blood. – Four chambered heart • Double circulatory system (pulmonary and systemic) – Large heart -50-100% larger and more powerful than mammals of the same size.
- 24. • Flight Adaptations: Respiratory System • Mammals: simple but inefficient. 20% of air never contacts a respiratory surface for exchange • Birds require 2 full breaths to move air completely through system. More efficient w/ help of air sacs • In addition to lungs, th ey have ~9 air sacks extending into abdomen, land toward wings
- 25. • Flight Adaptations: Urinary system • Sources: • High metabolism = high metabolic water production (up to 80% of requirements) • Food: particularly birds of prey and insectivores. • Seed eaters need the most water • Free water – streams, watering hole, raindrops, snow
- 26. • Water conservation • Excrete uric acid – a semi-solid with 2x the nitrogen per molecule. Concentrated in cloaca up to 3000x the acid level as in blood
- 27. • Flight Adaptations: No teeth…Digestive system impact? • Crop • Proventriculus (stomach) • Ventriculus (Gizzard) • Intestines – Caecae
- 28. • Bird Adaptations: Reproductive System • Bird Egg • One functional ovary (less weight) • Nest structure and bird behavior create microclimate for embryo • Laying/incubating eggs is dangerous. • Need to avoid predators! – Site choice – Nest structure – Adult behavior
- 29. THE END