Morphological Adaptations and Anatomical adaptation

1. Flight Adaptations In Birds

2. Objectives
1) Morphological
adaptations:
a) Feathers
b) Flight organ
c) Neck
d) Beak
e) Short tail
f) Bipedal
g) Perching
h) Equilibrium
i) integument
2 ) Anatomical
adaptations :
a) Flight muscles
b) Endoskeleton
c) Digestive system
d) Respiratory system
e) Circulatory system
f) Excretory system
g) Brian and sense organ
h) Reproductive organs

3. Introduction
• Masters Of Air – Highly specialized body for flying
• Flightless bird – Ostrich Kiwi, Emu
• Aquatic birds – Pelican, Duck
• Specialization in morphology, anatomy,
physiology :
1. Presence of organ of flight
2. Light and rigid body
3. Supply or production of energy
4. Speed
5. Balancing and control

4. Morphological Adaptations
• 1. Body shape : streamlined , spindle shaped –
minimize resistant by air

5. • 2. compact body :
 Dorsal body – strong, ventral – heavy
Helps in marinating balance in air
Wings at high up on thorax
Low center of gravity

6. High position of lungs
Low position of Heavy
Muscle, Sternum,
Digestive Organ

7. • 3. body covering of feathers:
Smooth , compact, backwardly directed
feathers – Reduce friction
Make body light
Protects from high temperature
Bad conductor of heat – maintain body tem
Envelop air around body –maintain buoyancy
Insulation of body
Wing feather broad surface for striking air

8. • 4. flight organ :
Forelimbs – wings –propelling organ
Special flight muscle
Flight feathers –remiges
During rest folded
Convex , reduce air pressure
Concave
increase air pressure

10. • 5. Beak
Beak – feeding, nest
building ,defense
Acts as forelimb
• 6. mobile neck and head
Long and flexible
Help in reaching to food

11. • 7. short tail
Short and reduced
muscular tail
Light tail feathers or
Rectrices
Serves as rudder
Help in steering,
lifting, counter
balancing during flight

12. • 8. Bipedal Locomotion
Balance entire body weight
Which helps in flight
• 9. Perching
Hind limb specialized for
perching
Specialized muscles in hind
limb for perching
Bird can hold branch

13. • 10. Equilibrium
Wing- high-up on trunk
Lungs- high position
Flight muscle, digestive system –low position
• 11. Integument
Loosely fitted on skin
Help in movement of skeletal muscle

14. Anatomical Adaptation
• 1. Flight Muscle
• Long and striated in
nature –withstand
fatigue
a)Pectoralis Major :
down stroke
b) Pectoralis Minor
or Supracoracoideus
: up stroke

15. c) Coracobranchiali:
depressing of wings
d) Tensor Patagialis:
keep patagia
stretched when
wing is extended

16. • 2. Lightness and rigidity of endoskeleton
Hollow Girdle Principle based skeleton –
strength and lightness

17. Pneumatic bone-
filled with air
Rod like , T- shaped
Compact rigid –
fusion of bones
Teeth absent- beak
Skull bone
reduced, fused

18. All thoracic vertebrae
except last are fused
Rigid dorsal vertebral
column – fusion of
vertebrae
Vertebrae –heterocoelous
– flexibility
Shortening of caudal
vertebrae – phagostyles –
assist in stability

19. • Sternum Bone – T- shaped
girdle – support abdominal
viscera- contained ridges
for attachment of flight
muscle
• Fusion of pelvis with
synsacrum ( all lumber
vertebrae + all sacral
vertebrae + few caudal
vertebrae ) – attachment
for leg, support body
weight

20. • Proximal tarsals +
lower end of tibia –
Tibiotarsus –
strengthen legs
• Fusion of dorsal
tarsals with
metatarsal –
Tarsometatarsus
• Forelimb- 3 digits
fused

21. • 3. Digestive System
High metabolic rate
Selective diet
High caloric value
Gall bladder – absent to reduce body weight

22. • 4. Warm Bloodedness
Body tem -40-46 0C
High tem – help flying high altitude
• 5. Respiratory System
Food oxidized rapidly and liberate high amount
of energy
Oxygen requirement high
Regulate body temperature

23. Lungs with sacs –
reduced specific gravity
of bird
Air sac –enter flight
muscle- reduce friction
During flight – sac
compressed and dilate

24. • 6. Circulatory System
Heart – large size , four chamber
Double circulation- no mixing of oxygenated /
deoxygenated blood
Large amount of hemoglobin

25. • 7. Excretory System
Urecotelic- uric acid, less water
Urinary bladder is absent- weight less
Coprodaeum- water absorbing organ

26. • 8. Brain And Sense Organs:
• Well developed centers - equilibrium, muscle
coordination and instinct
• Cerebellum and cerebrum – highly developed
• Eyes and optic lobe – well developed
• Olfactory bulb- not so developed

27. • 9. Reproductive Organs
Ovary and oviduct – left side of body only
Reduced at right side
Reduction on body weight