6. General characters
• Feathered bipedal vertebrates
• Birds are glorified reptiles-Huxley
• Feathers are modified scales evolved as heat insulators
• Scales present on legs
• Claws on toes
• Birds have high body temp. (40-44) due to a fast metabolism
• Some eat up to ½ their body weight in a day
• Bones of birds are thin and hallow
• 3- chambered Cloaca present
• Heart 4 chambered and R.B.C. nucleated and oval
• Study of birds- Ornithology
• Body of vertebra are heterocoelous (saddle shaped)
• Synsacrum forms by fusion of posterior thoracic, lumbar, sacral and anterior
caudal vertebras
• Posterior caudal vertebra fused to form pygostyle
• Teeth are absent and beak present as flight adaptation
• Forelimbs are modified into wings
• Long bones are pneumatic or hollow as flight adaptation
• Sternum large with keel for the attachment of flight muscles (pectoral muscles)
7. • Both clavice and one interclavicle fused to form v-shaped
furcula or wishbone
• Esophagus is dilated into a crop
• Stomach is divided into proventriculus and gizzard
• Lungs with attached air sacs by which they exchange gases at
both inhalation and exhalation
• Larynx without vocal cords but syrinx (voice box) present at
the junction of trachea and bronchi
• Eyes with vascular pecten
• Uricotelic metanephric kidneys
• right ovary and oviduct is reduced as flight adaptation
• Urinary bladder is absent as flight adaptation
• Parental care is well developed
• Oviparous and eggs with calcareous shell
• Amniotic cleidoic egg
• Preen glands (oil glands) are located at the end of tail
• Skull monocondylic
• Beak tells about type of feeding
9. ORDER –
†ARCHAEOPTERYGIFORMES
• Ancient crow like birds
• Extinct jurassic birds
• Teeth present
• Fossils found in Germany
• Forelimbs with 3-clawed
digits
• Keel was absent
• Tail without pygosyle
• Power of flight was poor
• Connecting links between
reptiles and birds
• Example- †Archaeopteryx
13. ORDER- † ICHTHYORNITHIFORMES
• Extinct flightless birds
• Teeth present in beak
• Sternum with well
developed keel
• Pectoral girdles well
developed
• E.g.- Ichthyornis
14.
15. ORDER- SPHENISCIFORMES
• Aquatic flightless birds
• forelimbs are paddle
like
• Feet are webbed
• Thick layer of fat
present beneath skin
• Found in antarctica and
galapagos islands
• E.g.- Aptenodytes
(penguin)
17. ORDER- TINAMIFORMES
• Eggshells are glossy
• Have power of short
flight due to short wings
• Cursorial terrestrial
birds
• Pygostyle reduced
• Sternum with keel
• E.g.- Tinamus
19. ORDER- DINORNITHIFORMES
• Giant birds recently
extinct
• Wings absent
• Sternum without keel
• Massive legs with 3-4
toes
• Example- Dinornis
(moa) of new zealand
20. ORDER- APTERYGIFORMES
• Hair like feathers
• Wings vestigial
• flightless
• Long bill with nostril
near the tip
• Example- Apteryx (kiwi)
of new zealand
21. ORDER-CASUARIFORMES
• 3-toes
• flightless
• Head bears a comb like
structure
• Sternum without keel
• Example- Casuaris
(cassowary) of australia
and Dromaius (Emu) of
new zealand
22. ORDER- RHEIFORMES
• 3 clawed toes
• flightless
• Sternum without keel
• Head and neck partially
feathered
• Feathers lack aftershaft
• Example- Rhea
23. ORDER- STRUTHIONIFORMES
• Legs with 2 toes
• Flightless
• Sternum lacks keel
• Pygostyle absent
• Feathers without
aftershafts
• Pubic symphysis
present
• Example- Struthio
(ostrich)
25. ORDER-PSITTACIFORMES
• Parrot like birds
• Feathers are green,
yellow, blue or red
• Feet zygodactylus (two
toes infront and two
toes behind)
• Beak stout and hooked
at tip
• Example- Psittacula
(green parrot)
26. ORDER-PICIFORMES
• Protrusible tongue
• Two toes infront and
one behind
• Tail feathers are stiff
with pointed tip
• Tough beak
• Dig insect and larva out
of wood
• Example- Dendrocopos
(wood pecker)
27. ORDER-PASSERIFORMES
• Largest order
• Feet adapted for perching
and beak for cutting
• 3 toes infront and one
behind
• Example- Passer domesticus
(house sparrow)
and Corvus splendens (crow)
28. ORDER-COLUMBIFORMES
• Skin thick and soft
• Large crop prouce
pigeon milk to feed
offspring
• Graminivorous and
frugivorous
• Example- columba livia
(blue rock pigeon)
29. ORDER-GALLIFORMES
• Short flight
• Game birds
• Feathers with aftershaft
• Feet massive adapted
for scratching
• Beak is short
• Example- Gallus (jungle
fowl) and Pavo
(peacock)
30. ORDER-CUCULIFORMES
• Tail long
• Toes 2 front and 2
behind
• Show brood parasitism
(female lays eggs in
nest of other birds)
• Example- Eudynamis
(koel)
31. ORDER-ANSERIFORMES
• Aquatic birds
• Beak is broad
• Tongue is fleshy
• Tails and feet are short
• Feet are webbed
• Example- Anas (duck)
32. ORDER- CORACIIFORMES
• Beak is strong
• Third and fourth toes
are fused at the base
• Long tail
• Example- Halcyon
(kingfisher)
35. ORDER- PROCELLARIFORMES
• Long and oily wings
• Tubular nostril
• Large nasal glands
• Marine birds
• Example- Diomedea
(albatross)
36. ORDER- PELECANIFORMES
• Aquatic fish eating birds
• Nostrils are vestigial
• Presence of gular pouch
on the throat
• 4 toed webbed feet
• Beak long with wide gap
• Example- Pelicanus
(pelican)
38. ORDER- CICONIIFORMES
• Snake like neck
• Long legs
• Pincer like beak
• Toes without web
• Feathers are decorative
• Example- Phonicopterus
(flamingo)
39. ORDER-GRUIFORMES
• Long legs
• Feathers with
aftershafts
• Beaks heavy
• Show migration
• Example- Antegona
(sarus crane)
