Class Aves
• Feathers
• No teeth
• Flexible long neck
– One occipital condyle
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Scales on legs
Bones with air spaces
Endothermic
Four chambered heart
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Bird Classification
• 28 orders
• 9600 species
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1) Subclass Archaeornithes - Old birds
Ancestral birds; Extinct; (Jurassic Fossils)
2) Subclass Neornithes - New birds
i) Superorder Odontognathae - Toothed birds;
Extinct; (Cretaceous Fossils)
ii) Superorder Paleognathae - "Ancient Jaw"
Modern birds with a primitive palate
5 Orders
iii) Superorder Neognathae - "New Jaw"
Modern birds with a modern (flexible) palate
25 Orders
Subclass Archaeornithes
• Old birds
• Ancestral birds;
Extinct; (Jurassic
Fossils)
• Archaeopteryx
Archaeopteryx
• Oldest known fossils from late Jurassic period
• Bird Characteristics: feathers, hollow bones and
furcula (wishbone that stabilized shoulder joint
for flight)
• Dinosaur Characteristics: teeth, claws on
forelimbs and long, bony tail
Superorder Paleognathae
a) Reduced keel
Order TINAMIFORMES
Tinamous
b) No keel & flightless (Ratites)
Order STRUTHIONIFORMES Ostrich
Order RHEIFORMES Rheas
Order CASUARIIFORMES
Emu & Cassowaries
Order DINORNITHIFORMES extinct
Order APTERYGIFORMES Kiwis
Order Struthioniformes
• Large flightless bird
• Two toes
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iii) Superorder Neognathae - "New
Jaw”
GALLIFORMES Gallinaceous birds 290 species
ANSERIFORMES Waterfowl & Screamers 162 species
SPHENISCIFORMES Penguins 17 species
GAVIIFORMES Loons 5 species
PROCELLARIIFORMES Tubenoses 112 species
PODICIPEDIFORMES Grebes 22 species
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES Flamingoes 5 species
CICONIIFORMES Storks, Herons, Ibises 116 species
PELECANIFORMES Full-webbed Swimmers 65 species
FALCONIFORMES Diurnal birds of prey 304 species
GRUIFORMES Cranes, rails, & allies 212 species
CHARADRIIFORMES Shorebirds, gulls, & allies 367
species
COLUMBIFORMES
Pigeons & doves 308 species
PSITTACIFORMES
Parrots 364 species
OPISTHOCOMIFORMES
Hoatzin 1 species
MUSOPHAGIFORMES
Turacos 23 species
CUCULIFORMES
Cuckoos 138 species
STRIGIFORMES
Owls 180 species
CAPRIMULGIFORMES
Nightjars & allies 118
species
APODIFORMES
Swifts & hummingbirds 429 species
COLIIFORMES
Mousebirds 6 species
TROGONIFORMES
Trogons 39 species
CORACIIFORMES
Kingfishers, & allies 209 species
PICIFORMES
Woodpeckers, & allies 398 species
PASSERIFORMES
Perching birds 5753 species
ORDER SPHENISCIFORMES
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Heavy body
Flightless
Flipperlike wings for swimming
Well-insulated with fat
• Example: penguins
Order Pelecaniformes
• Gular sac
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Order Ciconiiformes
• Long legs for wading
• Long necks
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Order Anseriformes
• Flat bill
• Webbed feet
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Order Falconiformes
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Hooked bill
Talons
Eagle
Hawk
Falcon
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Order Passeriformes
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Perching foot
Songbirds
5000 species
Mocking bird
Thrushes
Swallows
Magpie
Crow
Starling
Jays
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Order Columbiformes
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Short neck
Short legs
Pigeons
Doves
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Order Strigiformes
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Large eyes
Silent flight
Nocturnal predator
Owls
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Order Apodiformes
• Small bird
• Rapid wingbeat
• Hummingbirds
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Order Galliformes
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Chicken like
Strong beaks
Heavy feet
Chicken
Turkey
Pheasants
Quail
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Order Charadriiformes
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Short bill
Strong fliers
Shorebirds
Gulls
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Order Psittaciformes
• Thick tongue
• Hinged and movable
upper beak
• Bright colors
• Parrots
• Parakeets
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Adaptations for Flight
• Honey combed bones
– Air cavities
– Less weight
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25
Adaptations for Flight
• Enlarged sternum
– Flight muscle
attachment
• Long neck
– balance
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26
Adaptations for Flight
• Wing
– lift
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27
Adaptations for Flight
• Feathers
– Light weight
– Strong
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28
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Adaptations for Flight
• Reduce body weight
– No teeth
– No urinary bladder
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Digestive System
• Crop
– Storage
• Proventriculus
– Enzymes
• Gizzard
– Grind food
• Cloaca
– Waste
– Reproduction
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Vision
• Up to 8 times keener
than human vision
• Each eye moves
indendtantly
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Respiratory System
• Nine air sacs
– Connect to lungs and
centers of bones
– Cools the bird
• Fresh air always moving
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