BIO 456/585 Fall 2015 Ornithology UNCW ORDERS OF BIRDS (Part I) In lab we have a variety of bird skins and mounts from different orders though some orders are better represented than others. As you examine the specimens, make note of key characteristics that distinguish one group of birds from another. Especially note the differences in the bills and feet for each order. Use your field guide to help identify important characters of each species throughout this lab. Also, as you examine the skins, try to imagine how living representatives of each species live and how their morphology may be adaptive to their way of life. You will be responsible for knowing the order, family, and complete common name for each specimen in lab. You do not need to know the scientific (Latin) names provided below. Where skins of both sexes, different age classes, or winter versus breeding plumage are provided, you will need to learn the plumage differences. Skins can be found in the drawers labeled by order and family, the numbered species found here correspond with drawer numbers. Mounts are labeled with TC-M## (Teaching Collection-Mount) that can also be found on this handout. Superorder Palaeognathae (Ratites) We have no skins of birds from these orders. Refer to your text for distinguishing features. Order Struthioniformes Family Struthionidae - ostriches Order Rheiformes Family Rheidae – rheas Lesser Rhea (Rhea americana) feathers and tarsometatarsus only. Note how the structure of these feathers differs from those of flying birds. Order Casuariiformes Family Casuariidae - emus and cassowaries Order Apterygiformes (Dinornithiformes) Family Apterygidae - kiwis Order Tinamiformes Family Tinamidae - tinamous Superorder Neognathae Order Gaviiformes Family Gaviidae - loons. Open-water swimming birds with dagger-like bills. Larger than most ducks; longer bodied, and thicker-necked than grebes. Can dive to 200 ft.; may dive or merely submerge; sometimes swim with only head above water; usually run along surface on take-off. Note the shape of the bill, the distinguishing characteristic between loon species. Common Loon (Gavia immer) mount TC-M35. Breeding plumage: head and neck glossy black with broken white collar, back checkered with black and white. Winter: crown, nape, and back dark gray. 2 Order Podicipediformes Family Podicipedidae - grebes. Aquatic, expert divers but labored fliers (with drooping neck). Distinguished from ducks by thin neck, tailless look, pointed bill (except in Pied-billed Grebe). Feet lobed. Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) Compare length of neck with loons. Distinguish plumage from other grebes. Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) Winter plumage: note the sharp contrast in darker to lighter colors on the head. Also note the difference in bill shape and length with the Pied-billed Grebe. Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) Our largest North American grebe with long neck and yellowish bill. How do you distinguish this species from the closely related Clark’s Grebe? Order Procellariiformes Family Diomedeidae - Gliding birds of the open ocean. Bill large, hooked, covered with horny plates. Albatross, much larger than gulls or shearwaters. No specimens Family Procellariidae - shearwaters, fulmars, and large petrels. Gull-sized birds of open sea. Bills thin (except fulmars) with tube-like external nostrils, fused together (fulmar) or separate (shearwaters). Wings narrower than a gull's, tail smaller, not as fan shaped. Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) mount TC-M82. What single character immediately separates this bird from gulls? Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus) skull only. Where are the salt glands on this specimen? Greater Shearwater (Puffinus gravis) mount. Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) mount, TC-M83. Both hanging mounts in the lab plus an isolated wing Why are these birds known as the tubenoses? Family Hydrobatidae – storm-petrels. Little dark birds that flit erratically over the open sea, at times "running" or "dancing" briefly on the surface with slender legs, dangling webbed feet. No specimens in lab, look at pictures in your field guide. Order Sphenisciformes Family Spheniscidae – penguins, flightless seabirds with wings modified as flippers and used for underwater propulsion. Entirely Southern Hemisphere in distribution, but occur up to the Equator in the Galapagos Islands. Penguin (Pygoscelis sp.) skull and wing examples. Can you find evidence for flightlessness in these bones? What diving adaptations do you see? Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) skin. 3 Order Pelecaniformes Family Sulidae - Boobies. Large seabirds with large, pointed bills and tails; shaped somewhat like fat cigars. No external nares on bill. Larger than most gulls, with a "pointed at both ends" look in flight; neck longer. Fish by high plunges. Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) skin. Note the absence of external nares, an adaptation for plunge diving. Family Phalacrocoracidae - Cormorants. Large, black or black and white aquatic birds, long slender bill with hook at end; often perch upright on rocks or posts, sometimes with wings held out. Flocks fly in wedge or line formation, some species feed in flocks on water. How do these birds differ from loons? Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) Skin and mount TC-M84. Note the two crests on the head. Has u-shaped neck in flight. This species is the most wide spread of the North American cormorants and is found on inland freshwater lakes as well as coastal regions. Note the dull, lighter plumage of the immature birds. Family Pelecanidae - Huge water birds with long flat bills and great throat pouches (flat when deflated). Neck long, body robust. Sexes alike. Feed mostly on fish and crustaceans. No specimens available. Family Anhingidae – Anhingas. No specimens, though the Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga), the only species that occurs in North America, may be seen on lakes in and around Wilmington in summer and early fall. Family Fregatidae – Frigatebirds Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) mount TC-M85. Note the characteristic bill and head shape; wings crooked in flight. Frequently follows ships; kleptoparasite; occasional vagrant to coast of North Carolina, especially after tropical storms and hurricanes. Order Ciconiiformes Family Ardeidae – Herons, egrets, and bitterns. Small to large wading birds with long necks, long legs, spearlike bills. In sustained flight, heads are tucked back in an “S” shape; legs trail behind; wing beats slow and labored. At rest, neck may be erect or "pulled in" (e.g., Black-crowned Night Heron) American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) mount TC-M86. Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) skin. Note the large size, plumage characteristics. Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) skin. How would you distinguish this species from a Cattle Egret and a Great Egret? Great Egret (Ardea alba) skin. Note the bill and leg colors compared to Snowy Egret. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) skin. Green Heron (Butorides striatus) skin Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), one adult and one juvenile skin. 4 Family Threskiornithidae – Ibises, wading birds with long downward curved bills used for probling in mud and wet ground (often seen on athletic field on campus after rains to get worms). Fly in lines with neck extended. White Ibis (Eudocimus albus), adult and immature. Family Ciconiidae – storks. No specimens. One species, the Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) occurs in the southeastern U. S. Does not breed in North Carolina, but may be seen in the southeastern portion of the state in summer; roosts by Twin Lakes at Sunset Beach until late fall each year. Family Vulturidae (Cathartidae) – vultures. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) mounts TC-M86 and M91 (juvenile). How do you distinguish this species from the Black Vulture in flight? Order Anseriformes Family Anatidae - Swans, geese, and ducks. This order is well represented in our collections. Examine the specimens for differences in bill shape, coloration and sexual variations in plumage. Ducks can be very difficult to identify outside the breeding season when they lose their breeding plumage and obtain their “eclipse” plumage. Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) mount TC-M9. Note features, besides large size, that distinguish this species from a Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens). Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) mount TC-M28 & TC-M29. Cackling Goose (Branta nutchissi) mount TC-M6. Brant (Branta bernicula) mount TC-M5. How can you distinguish these last two species? Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) female specimen (see field guide for male characters). Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) male skin only. Probably the most common duck that you will see anywhere in the U.S. A surface feeding duck. American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) male skin plus mount TC-M36. American Wigeon (Anas americana) male and female skins plus mount TC-M16, 37,38. Gadwall (Anas strepera) male skin plus female mount TC-M8. Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) male and female skins plus mount TC-M17, 41. Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) male skin. Note the unmistakable bill morphology. Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) adult male and molting male skins plus mount TC-M25. Our smallest North American Duck Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) female skin and male mount TC-M12. Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) male skin and mount TC-M27. Redhead (Aythya americana) male skin, male and female mounts TC-M13, 14. Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) one male skin and female mount TC-M42. Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) one male skin All of the above are diving ducks. How do