Ornithology (FW 311)
Instructor: Dr. Bruce Dugger, 166 Nash; 737-2465; E-mail: bruce.dugger@oregonstate.edu (please
include FW311 in the subject line)
Office Hours: M 11:00-12:30 or by appointment
Course Description: Possibly because of their bright colors and their ability to fly, birds have amazed
and inspired humans throughout our history. Birds are important parts of human cultures throughout the
world, and their influence extends to all aspects of human life. These values persist today, historically
important activities like bird hunting remain popular today, and bird watching (birding) is ranked as the
second most popular hobby for people in the United States. Given the public interest in birds, it is not
surprising that concerns about bird populations and curiosity about aspects of their ecology were a driving
force behind the establishment of modern conservation and scientific study. However, ornithology as a
formal scientific discipline is relatively new. The goal of this course is to introduce you to this exciting
field by providing an overview of the avian body plan, the biology of birds, and the challenges faced
when trying to conserve and manage birds in North America.
Course Objectives:
1. Learn vocabulary relevant to the structure, function, and ecology of birds.
2. Understand the structure and function of parts of the body that are unique or specially adapted
in birds.
3. Understand key concepts about the biology and conservation of birds.
Text: required
Gill, F. B. Ornithology. 3nd Ed., Freeman and Company, New York
Grading:
100 pts
100 pts
100 pts
200 pts
500 pts
First Exam
Second Exam
Book Term Paper
Final Exam
Total
Exams - Two 100-point exams will occur during the semester that will not be comprehensive. The final
exam will be worth 200 points; 100 points will be on material covered since the last exam, and 100 points
will be on material covered during the entire semester. Exams questions will be primarily include
definitions, short answer, and essay.
Term Paper – Birds have inspired many great books that focus on the biology, conservation and
management of birds or use birds as a vehicle for conservation and management of ecosystems. In most
cases, the books are a more compelling introduction to birds than simply reading your text.
Consequently, I am going to ask you to read one of the titles below. You can pick the title that seems
most interesting to you. It’s possible there are other titles that could meet the requirements for this
assignment, but you need to clear those with me before you start. You will prepare a 5 page term paper
that summarizes the major content of the book and your thoughts and observations on the message in the
book.
Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere With Migratory Birds. 2001. Scott Weidensaul
Eye of the Albatross. 2003. C. Safina.
Return to Wild America: A Yearlong Search for the Continent's Natural Soul. 2006. S. Weidensaul.
Grades - will be based on straight percent of the total possible score for class. I will use the following
scale: A 92-100; A- 90-91; B+ 88-89; B 82-87; B- 80-81; C+ 78-79; C 72-77; C- 70-71; D+ 68-69; D 6267; D- 60-62; F < 60
Extra Credit – You can earn 10pts of extra credit by writing a 3 page summary about the biology of a
bird species or a bird conservation issue that interests you. The summary must be double spaced, 12-point
times new roman font with one inch paper margins. There are many excellent sources of information in
the library however the best is “The Birds of North America” (BNA) series. BNA is a series of accounts
written for each species of bird that occurs in North America north of Mexico. Each account is written by
individuals who in most cases have spent a great deal of time studying the species. There is a hard copy
in the library, but we also now have online access to the entire collection
(http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/BNA/). Access is by subscription only, so you will have to access the
material from an OSU computer. This is a great resource and I encourage you to visit the site and
explore.
COURSE BLACKBOARD WEB SITE
Any handouts, written assignments, answer keys, or power point lecture files will be posted on
blackboard. Lecture notes will not be posted until after lecture periods. In addition, I have activated an
open forum discussion site in blackboard for anyone wanting to discuss the readings, ask questions of
your fellow students, or post information they believe is relevant to class. I will be checking the forum
periodically; however, if you have specific questions for me, use my email address.
GENERAL RULES/GUIDELINES OF THE COURSE
1. Make-ups for exams or in-class assignments are not normally given, but may be granted if the
student has an exceptional reason. Whenever possible, the student must notify the
instructor prior to missing an assignment.
2. If you are having problems with the material in class, please see me during office hours.
3. The course schedule is subject to change by the instructor.
4. The lecture schedule, weekly reading assignments, and exam schedule can be found on the course
Blackboard web site.
5. Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, who have any emergency
medical information the instructor should know of, or who need special arrangements in the event
of evacuation, should make an appointment with the instructor as early as possible, no later than
the first week of the term.
Lecture Schedule
Topics covered in class can vary, but will generally follow the sequence listed below. The readings on the
right are for the material in the text for each topic in lecture.
Week
Topic
Reading Gill
Week 1
Intro/Avian characteristics
Ch. 1 pp. 4-18
Evolution of birds
Ch. 2 pp. 25-40
Evolution of flight
Week 2
Mechanics of flight
Ch. 5
Integument
Ch. 4
Digestion
Ch. 6 164-171
Week 3
Excretory/Skeleton
pp. 133-137
Respiration
pp. 143-147
Sensory systems
Ch. 7
Week 4
Exam I (Monday April 18th)
Energy metabolism
pp. 150-155
Adaptations to extreme environments
pp. 155-164
Week 5
Macrogeography/communities
Ch. 20
Speciation
Ch. 19
Foraging ecology I
Week 6
Foraging Ecology II
Migration I
Ch. 10
Migration II
Ch. 11
Week 7
Annual cycle
Ch. 9
Vocalizations
Ch. 8
Exam II (Friday, May 13th)
Week 8
Spacing patterns
Courtship
Ch. 12
Mating system
Ch. 13
Week 9
Repro anatomy/egg/nests
Ch. 14
Clutch size
Ch. 15
Week 10
Incubation
Ch. 15
Parental Care/growth
Ch. 16
Birds of the world
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Final exam: Monday, June 6th, 2:00 - 4:00 pm in lecture room