The document discusses the evolution of birds from feathered dinosaurs like Archaeopteryx. The first fossil found of Archaeopteryx was a single feather in 1860, and a year later a near-complete skeleton was discovered. Archaeopteryx had features intermediate between reptiles and birds, suggesting birds evolved from small feathered dinosaurs. Seven Archaeopteryx skeletons have now been found and provide important clues about avian evolution. The rest of the document is a checklist of Alabama bird species with descriptions and images.

1. Birds

4. The evolutionary origin of birds
has always been a subject of
considerable debate. Birds and
flying reptiles have delicate,
lightweight skeletons which do not
fossilize well - hindering studies on
how the birds evolved. The first
bird fossil to be found was a
feather, which was discovered in
1860 in a limestone quarry in
Bavaria. The feather was given
the name Archaeopteryx, which is
Greek for 'ancient feather'. A year
later an almost complete skeleton
of Archaeopteryx was discovered
in the same quarry, with the
feathers and other fine structures
preserved in minute detail.

5. The skeleton showed
several features which are
intermediate between
reptiles and birds,
suggesting that
Archaeopteryx and the other
birds evolved from a
dinosaur similar to the
Velociraptor featured in the
film 'Jurassic Park'.
Seven partial or complete
Archaeopteryx skeletons
have now been found, and
they are still among the
most famous, and
scientifically valuable,
fossils.

9. Feathers make the bird

19. Alabama Birds
Checklist of Alabama Birds - Geographical & Seasonal Distribution
Alabama Ornithological Society

20. Order Gaviiformes
Loons
Specialized for swimming and diving. Come ashore
only to breed. In flight, head lower than body.
Wingbeats fast. Eat fish, crustaceans, some water
plants.

21. Common loon – Gavia immer

22. Order Podicipediformes
Grebes
Swimming and diving birds, smaller than loons. Flat
lobes on toes. Short legs far back on body. Flight weak
and hurried. Taxi before becoming airborne. Dive and
pursue aquatic animals.

23. Pied-billed grebe – Podilymbus podiceps

24. Order Pelecaniformes
Pelicans and their Allies
Large, aquatic fish-eating birds with all four toes
webbed. Most nest in large colonies and are silent
outside breeding grounds.

25. American white pelican – Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

27. White pelicans in flight.

29. Brown pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis

30. Brown pelican diving
For fish.

31. Double-crested cormorant – Phalacrocorax auritus

32. Double-crested cormorant

33. Anghinga (snake bird) – Anhinga anhinga

34. Order Anseriformes
Waterfowl
Aquatic, with webs between the three front toes. Long
necks and narrow pointed wings. Flattened bills with
tooth-like edges that serve as strainers.

35. Geese
Subfamily Anserinae
Tribe Anserini

36. Canada goose – Branta canadensis

40. Snow goose – Chen caerulescens

41. Surface-feeding Ducks (Dabblers)
Subfamily Anserinae
Tribe Anatini

42. Mallard – Anas platyrhynchos

43. Summer Distribution
Winter Distribution

44. Pintail – Anas acuta

46. Blue-winged teal
Anas discors

47. Blue-winged teal

49. Green-winged teal – Anas crecca

52. Perching or Wood Ducks
Subfamily Anserinae
Tribe Carinini

53. Wood duck (drake) – Aix sponsa

54. Female wood duck

55. Wood duck
distribution

56. Bay Ducks (Divers)
Subfamily Anatinae
Tribe Aythyini

57. Redhead – Aythya americana

58. Redhead distribution

59. Canvasback – Aythya valisneria

60. Ring-necked duck – Aythya collaris

62. Ring-necked duck
distribution

63. Lesser scaup – Aythya affinis

64. Lesser scaup
distribution

66. Sea Ducks
Subfamily Anatinae
Tribe Mergini

67. Common goldeneye – Bucephala clangula

68. Common goldeneye
distribution

69. Canvasback distribution

70. Bufflehead – Bucep hala albeola

72. Bufflehead distribution

73. Hooded merganser – Lophodytes cucullatus

75. Hooded merganser
distribution

76. Order Falconiformes
Eagles, Hawks, Falcons,
Vultures
Diurnal birds of prey. Strong beaks and talons.

77. Turkey vulture – Cathartes aura

78. Turkey vulture in flight

79. Black vulture – Coragyps atratus

80. Vultures (two black, one turkey) feeding on carrion.

81. Mississippi kite
Ictinia mississippiensis

82. Swallow-tailed kit
Elanoides forficatus

83. Cooper’s hawk
Accipiter cooperii

84. Cooper’s hawk in flight

85. Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks

86. Sharp-shinned hawk
Accipiter striatus

87. Northern harrier –
Circus cyaneus

88. Red-tailed hawk
Buteo jamaicensis

89. Red-tailed hawk in flight

90. Red-shouldered hawk
Buteo lineatus

91. Red-shouldered hawk in flight

94. Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos

95. Bald eagle
Haliaetus leucocephalus

96. Osprey – Pandion haliaetus

97. American kestrel – Falco sparverius

98. Peregrine falcon- Falco peregrinus

99. Order Galliformes
Gallinaceous Birds
Heavy-bodied, chicken-like land birds. Short, heavy
bill. Wings short and rounded. Legs rather long.
Flight not fast, but can burst into full flight from a
sitting position. Capable runners that forage on the
ground. Males of many species have elaborate
courtship displays.

100. Northern bobwhite – Colinus virginianus

101. Male bobwhite

102. Wild turkey
Meleagris gallopavo

103. Order Ciconiiformes
Herons and their allies
Wading birds with long legs, neck and bill. Most feed
on aquatic animal life in shallow water. Some have
long plumes in the breeding season. Wings are broad
and rounded, tail short.

104. Great blue heron
Ardea herodius

106. Great egret
Casmerodius albus

108. Snowy egret – Egretta thula

109. Cattle egret – Bubuculus ibis

111. Little blue heron – Egretta caerulea

112. Louisiana heron – Egretta tricolor

114. Green heron
Butorides striatus

116. White ibis – Eudocimus albus

119. Wood stork
Mycteria americana

121. Order Gruiformes
Cranes and their Allies
Highly diverse group of wading birds with long legs.
Other features such as size, body outline, bill shape and
neck length are highly variable.

122. Sandhill crane
Grus canadensis

123. Sandhill crane

124. Whooping crane
Grus americana

125. Clapper rail
Rallus longirostris

126. King rail – Rallus elegans

127. Common moorhen – Gallinula chloropus

128. Purple gallinule – Porphyrula martinica

129. American coot – Fulica americana

132. Order Charadriiformes
Shorebirds and Gulls
Diverse group of wading or swimming birds. mOst are
white, gray or brown, with long pointed wings and
webbed feet. Highly migratory. Most feed along
shores, a few inland.

133. Killdeer – Charadrius vociferus

134. American woodcock – Scolopax minor

135. Common snipe – Gallinago gallinago

137. Sanderling – Calidris alba

138. Herring gull
Larus argentatus

139. Laughing gull – Larus atricilla

140. Forster’s Tern
Sterna forsteri

141. Caspian tern – Sterna caspia

142. Common tern – Sterna hirundo

143. Order Columbiformes
Pigeons and Doves
Small-headed, short-legged, swift-flying birds with
pointed wings and fanned or tapered tails. All species
coo, bob heads when walking. Eat grains, small seeds,
acorns and fruit.

144. Mourning dove – Zenaida macroura

145. Rock dove – Columba livia

148. Order Strigiformes
Owls
Large-headed, short-necked birds of prey. Mostly
nocturnal. Large eyes are fixed in sockets, so the entire
head moves as the bird shifts its gaze. Flat, round or
heart-shaped “facial disk” conceals the large external
ear flaps. All fly silently, hunting for rodents and other
mammals. Calls are distinctive hoots, wails, or
whistles.

149. Eastern screech owl – Otus asio

150. Great horned owl
Bubo virginianus

151. Barn owl – Tyto alba

152. Barn owl

153. Barred owl
Strix varia

154. Order Caprimulgiformes
Goatsuckers
Nocturnal insect-eaters with large, flat heads, small
bills, enormous mouths, and distinctive white patches in
the wings and tail. Many are named for their call.

155. Chuck-will’s-widow – Caprimulgus carolinensis

157. Whip-poor-will – Caprilmulgus vociferus

159. Common nighthawk – Chordeiles minor

160. play_bird_wm.asp-recnum=BD0143.url

161. Order Apodiformes
Swifts and Hummingbirds

162. Ruby-throated hummingbird – Archilochus colubris

163. Order Coraciiformes
Kingfishers
Large-headed, short-tailed birds that dive for fish,
which they catch with their long sharp beaks. Perch
motionless in the open, over water. Short legs.

164. Belted kingfisher – Ceryle alcyon

168. Order Piciformes
Woodpeckers
Have a strong bill, sharply pointed for chipping and
digging into tree trunks or branches for wood-boring
insects. Still tail used as a prop. Most species “drum”
on resonant limbs, poles, or drainpipes. Flight is
usually undulating, with wings folded against the body
after each series of flaps. Usually nest in a cavity
chiseled into a large branch or trunk.

169. Yellow-shafted flicker
Colaptes auratus

171. Pileated woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus

172. Red-bellied woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus

173. Red-headed woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus

174. Red-cockaded
woodpecker
Picoides borealis

175. Downy woodpecker
Picoides pubescens

176. Hairy woodpecker
Picoides villosus

177. Yellow-bellied sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius

178. Order Passeriformes
Perching Birds
Small to medium land birds. All have feet well adapted
for perching: 3 toes in front and 1 long toe behind.
Most are singers. Bill shape, feather colors, and habits
are most useful for family identification. Most
insectivorous species and some seed and fruit eaters are
highly migratory.

179. Eastern kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus

180. The eastern kingbird
spends the summer
months in North
America, and winters in
Amazonia.

181. Barn swallow
Hirudo rustica

182. Purple martin – Progne subis

183. Blue jay
Cyanocitta cristata

184. American crow – Corvus brachyrhyncos

185. Carolina wren – Thryothorus ludovicianus

186. Northern mockingbird – Mimus polyglottus

188. Brown thrasher – Toxostoma rufum

189. American robin - Turdus migratorius

190. Eastern bluebird
Siala sialis

191. Cedar waxwing – Bombycilla cedrorum

192. Loggerhead shrike
Lanius ludovicianus

194. Red-winged blackbird – Agelaius phoeniceus

196. Brown-headed cowbird – Molothrus ater

197. Northern cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis

198. Black-capped chickadee – Poecile carolinensis

200. House finch
Carpodacus mexicanus

209. Indigo bunting – Passerina cyanea

210. Eastern towhee – Pipilo erythrophtalmus

211. Sparrows