Class: Aves Seabirdssciencewithmsmaher.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/6/0/...Anseriformes (ducks & geese)...
Transcript of Class: Aves Seabirdssciencewithmsmaher.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/6/0/...Anseriformes (ducks & geese)...
SeabirdsClass: Aves
General Characteristics
● Modern birds are characterized by:○ Feathers○ Laying hard shelled eggs○ Lightweight (but strong) skeleton
■ Hollow bones = efficient for flight○ Homeothermic endotherms○ Scaly legs & claws○ Specialized lungs
■ Air flow in one direction aided by air sacs
General Characteristics
General Characteristics
Flight muscles make up 25-35% of body weight in flying birds!
General Characteristics
General Characteristics
● Birds evolved from reptiles approx. 150-200 mya
● Only 4% of the 9000 species of birds are seabirds○ ~372 species○ Of the 29 orders of birds, 7
contain seabirds
General Characteristics
Seabirds!
● Spend a significant part of their lives at sea and feed on marine organisms
● Most breed in large colonies on land○ 10s to 1000s
● Require lots of food to supply enough energy to maintain body temperatures
● Have salt-excreting glands to allow salt from their diet to drip out of passages on their beaks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=FWzOE_WezNg
Seabird Orders
● Sphenisciformes (penguins)● Gaviiformes (divers, loons & grebes)● Procellariiformes (albatrosses, petrels & shearwaters)● Pelecaniformes (pelicans, gannets, boobies, cormorants, &
frigatebirds)● Anseriformes (ducks & geese)● Charadriiformes (gulls, terns and auks)● Falconiformes (sea eagles & ospreys)
Order: Sphenisciformes (penguins)
● 17 species ○ all found south of
the equator● Most found around
Antarctica○ But the
Galapagos penguin lives near the equator
Order: Sphenisciformes (penguins)
Adaptations to the marine environment include:
● Solid (not hollow) bones - great for diving● Hydrodynamic shape - can swim up to 15 mph● Wing bones are fused into a solid flipper - instead of a wing
○ Wings “fly” underwater● Thick fat layer and feathers to insulate● Feathers are denser and pin shaped instead of barbed● Behavioral adaptations (ie. huddling)
Order: Sphenisciformes (penguins)
Order: Gaviiformes (divers, loons & grebes)
● Northern hemisphere’s answer to penguins
Order: Gaviiformes
Adaptations to the marine environment include:
● Solid bones (like penguins)● Heavy enough to sink just by exhaling and emptying air sacs● Feet near the back of the body - Greater thrust for diving● Lobed feet
○ Increased surface area● Dive to depths of 30+ meters for several minutes● Can fly
Order: Procellariiformes (albatross, petrels, & shearwaters)
Albatross
● Do not spend much time in the water○ Fly over the ocean searching for
prey● Usually found in the southern
hemisphere● Glide in the constant strong winds
around Antarctica
Order: Procellariiformes (albatross, petrels, & shearwaters)
Albatross
Adaptations to the marine environment include:
● Long wingspan (3-4 m)● Narrow wings
○ Perfect for long distance gliding● Tube on back of beaks that detects changes
in wind current● Long hooked beak for catching fish
Order: Procellariiformes (albatross, petrels, & shearwaters)
Petrels
● Small sparrow-sized birds
● Skim over the surface of water looking for food
● Migrate to the equator during the winter
● Breed in burrows to avoid predation
Order: Procellariiformes (albatross, petrels, & shearwaters)
Petrels
● Tube on beak (like albatross)● Hooked beak (like albatross)● Secrete excess salt through nose tube● Do not glide as much or as high as A
○ Flap rapidly and stay close to the tops of waves
● Dive into the water or fly through the wave crest
Order: Procellariiformes (albatross, petrels, & shearwaters)
Shearwaters
● Skim surface of water looking for food
● Mostly hunt in the open ocean● Same beak and nose tube as
other procellariiformes
Order: Pelecaniformes (pelicans, boobies, gannets, cormorants, & frigatebirds)
● One of the largest groups of seabirds○ 67 species
● Large birds○ Wingspan of up to 3m
Adaptations to the marine environment include:
● All have fully webbed feet● Most have an elastic pouch of skin hanging below their beak
Order: Pelecaniformes (pelicans, boobies, gannets, cormorants, & frigatebirds)
Pelicans
● Very thin, hydrodynamic shape○ Great for diving into the water
● Open their mouths and use their throat pouches to “net” their prey
Order: Pelecaniformes (pelicans, boobies, gannets, cormorants, & frigatebirds)
Boobies
● Primarily tropical● Dive from heights of nearly
100’ onto prey● Torpedo shaped
○ Great for piercing surface of water
Order: Pelecaniformes (pelicans, boobies, gannets, cormorants, & frigatebirds)
Order: Pelecaniformes (pelicans, boobies, gannets, cormorants, & frigatebirds)
Gannets
● Found in cool northern regions● Nest on rocky cliffs● Dive onto prey from height, like
boobies● Hit the water at 60mph
○ Adaptations to absorb the force of impact and protect brain
Order: Pelecaniformes (pelicans, boobies, gannets, cormorants, & frigatebirds)
Cormorants
● SUPER streamlined for diving from heights
● Can dive to depths of 10m+● Some species are flightless
with large webbed rear feet● Wings are not waterproof
○ Must land to allow wings to dry
Order: Pelecaniformes (pelicans, boobies, gannets, cormorants, & frigatebirds)
Frigatebirds
● Large wing span○ Built for gliding○ Can stay airborne for months at a time○ Not waterproof
● Opportunistic feeders○ Mollusks, fish, turtles, and even
jellyfish○ Steal food from other seabirds
Order: Anseriformes (ducks & geese)
Ducks
● Eider and Steamer Duck● Soft, fluffy feathers
○ Well insulating● Eat molluscs & crabs whole
○ Remove claws and legs of crab before eating
○ Shells crushed up in the gizzard● Some species flightless while others are not
Order: Anseriformes (ducks & geese)
Geese
● Kelp goose○ Year round residents of
the Falkland Islands○ Feed on algae
Order: Anseriformes (ducks & geese)
Order: Charadriiformes (gulls, terns, skuas, & auks)
● Account for nearly half of the seabird species○ 131 species
● Including:○ 50 species of gulls○ 44 species of terns○ 22 species of auk○ 8 species of skua
Order: Charadriiformes (gulls, terns, skuas, & auks)
Gulls
● Hooked beaks, webbed feet and long powerful wings
● “Jack of all trades”○ Can dive, fly, and “swim” like other seabirds
but not as well● Opportunistic feeders
○ Able to find a niche in almost any open ocean or coastal environment
Order: Charadriiformes (gulls, terns, skuas, & auks)
Order: Charadriiformes (gulls, terns, skuas, & auks)
Terns
● Sometimes called “sea swallows”○ More graceful relative of gulls
● Hunt for food rather than scavenge like gulls
● Only have small webbed feet○ Not great swimmers○ Swoop and catch prey
Order: Charadriiformes (gulls, terns, skuas, & auks)
Skuas
● Also called Jaegers● Look like a cross between a hawk
and a gull● Fierce predators● Most inhabit the southern
hemisphere○ Great skua found in northern
hemisphere
Order: Charadriiformes (gulls, terns, skuas, & auks)
Auks
● Clumsy fliers but good divers● Usually inhabit colder, northern hemisphere areas● Narrow, parrot like beak
○ Used to scoop up small fish several at a time● Use wings to fly underwater (like penguins)● More buoyant than penguins
○ Have to work harder to stay underwater
Other Birds Found in the Marine Environment
● Herons, Egrets & Spoonbills○ Freshwater, but also seen in salt marshes and estuaries
● Flamingos○ Live in salt marshes and estuaries - filters brine shrimp out
of the water● Kingfishers● Crows
○ Especially the fish crow ● Sea Eagles & Ospreys