Aves+(Abbie+Bower)

Aves Full: Anamalia-Eumatozoan-bilateria-Deuterostomia-Chordata-Craniata-Vertebrata-Gmathostomato-Euteleostoni-Sacropterygii-Tetrapoda-amniota-reptilia-aves

**Body Plan** ** Wings **

Every bird has the same basic body structure. Although some birds like the penguin and the ostrich, like their kin the Dodo bird, remain flightless, every bird has wings. Originally designed by their reptilian predecessors these wings allow birds to take flight for migration, food gathering or to escape predators. It appears as though on the flightless birds, the wings remain only as vestigal structures of their ancestors.

**Skin** Bird skin is all designed the same way. Birds have two layers of skin: the dermis and the epidermis. Like humans, the epidermis (outer layer) is thin. The dermis on the other hand, which is the inner layer, is very thick to provide warmth for birds in the higher layers of the atmosphere. Birds do not have sweat glands on their skin. Instead for cooling, they can adjust their feathers. Every bird has feathers covering their skin except for their beak and their claws.



**Symmetry & Germ Layers** Birds, like many other organisms in the Anamalia kingdom, have bilateral symmetry. This means that if one were to create cut lengthwise from head to toe the two sides would be symmertrical. Like humans, during gastrulation all three germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm) are formed and used in the creation of the different systems and body parts. Birds are also coelomates and have a coelm.

Birds have a very light skeleton for flight. Their bones are hollow and contain air pockets so that the birds have the ability to fly and glide in the air. Despite the lack of density of the bones, bird bones are very strong and have the ability to support the frame of the bird.
 * Skeleton**

**Special Adaptations** Feathers are one of the biggest adaptations that birds have that no other animal does. The feathers cover their epidermis and come in various shades, pigments, lengths and textures depending on the habitat or location of the bird. The feathers have been modified to allow for flight and the increased metabolism of the bird due to flight and temperature. The skin color of the bird can also change depending on the color of the feathers. Birds have a urupygiad gland close to the skin which secretes a special lipid that covers the feathers and protects them from water or water damage such as wing rot. Unlike humans, birds can see ultraviolet and infrared light to hunt and avoid predators.

**Evolution** **Evolutionary Advancement** Birds come from a monophylitic evolution; meaning that each bird comes from one common ancestor. The earliest bird ancestor was a flying dinosaur. From there, the offspring through generations developed feathers, beaks and lighter, smaller frames. One of the most unique features of birds are their songs. Each species has a different song or call, and they are used to find mates and to communicate with others of the same species. **Habitat** Birds do not have just one habitat. They are found in different variations all over the world from the penguins in Antarctica to the thousands of species in the tropical rain forests. Each new habitat brings new adaptations to the species in feathers, beak lengths and song types. Most birds build nests out of whatever the habitat can provide and lay their eggs there.



Movement The preferred form of transportation for birds is flight. Many birds can fly a few hundred feet in the air. Birds can also walk, although their legs appear to be much to small to support them it isn't a problem to hop around. Larger birds, such as the ostrich have properly working knees that allow for a sort of graceful movement.

Feeding Patterns Birds have horny beaks of varying lengths, no teeth and a large muscular stomach. The diet of the birds depends on the species, location and what is available to eat. Many birds eat nuts, seeds, berries, small insects and other tiny animals. Larger birds of prey eat other birds, mice or tiny rodents.


 * Body Systems**

**Respiratory** Birds have a unidirectional airflow. Air comes in the mouth, goes through one of the two lungs, to the body and out the air sacs. The air sacs are tiny alveoli like structures near the skin. The used air full of carbon dioxide diffuses into the air sacs and then flows out through the skin. **Circulatory** Birds have a circulatory system much like humans. They have a four-chambered heart that allows for the separation of blood (oxygenated and deoxygenated) to allow for efficiency. The blood then travels through arteries,, capillaries and veins back to the heart to be reoxygenated. This allows for the birds high metabolism and its ability to fly for extended periods of time. **Excretory** Bird's kidneys work the same way that humans do in that they filter out the toxic waste from the blood stream. However, birds excrete urea which is a highly toxic and potent from of waste. Most birds lack a bladder, and the waste goes right from the kidneys to the ureters and out of the body. Urea is lacking in water content, which is most likely to conserve water in higher climates or more diverse habitats. **Nervous** The nervous system of a bird is almost identical to that of a human. The neurons communicate in the same way as in humans. Birds are also very intelligent and have the ability to use tools and to communicate with other species as well as their own. **Reproductive** Birds reproduce differently than humans, although the copulation process is very similar. Birds lay eggs. These eggs have large yolks and hard protective shells. After birth, the mothers provide extensive care for their young. The album in the egg protects the chicks from damage caused by the dropping or shifting of eggs.

Information: http://www.animaldiversity.ummziumich.edu http://www.eol.org/pages/695/details http://www.people.eku.edu/ritchisong/avion_biology.html http://www.biology.kengom.edu/courses/biol114/chap14/chapter_14.html Pictures: http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1440&bih=785&tbm=isch&tbnid=bmRXRfqhrrVsNM:&imgrefurl=http://www.kentuckyawake.org/birds&docid=1A-d3gZ5lmzYxM&imgurl=http://www.kentuckyawake.org/files/external%252520anatomy/Birds_ext.png&w=700&h=548&ei=mAiCT-rTCMjl0gHlmpD0Bw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=359&vpy=126&dur=437&hovh=199&hovw=254&tx=160&ty=122&sig=111249673296159591898&page=1&tbnh=129&tbnw=175&start=0&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0,i:89

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1440&bih=785&tbm=isch&tbnid=o-ldDBC0_tERgM:&imgrefurl=http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/printouts/Skeleton.shtml&docid=zk3QtuKue56GyM&imgurl=http://www.enchantedlearning.com/bgifs/Birdskel_bw.GIF&w=551&h=410&ei=5gyCT-PFJue-0QGmofHYBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=172&vpy=177&dur=3987&hovh=194&hovw=260&tx=191&ty=119&sig=111249673296159591898&page=1&tbnh=118&tbnw=159&start=0&ndsp=34&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:134

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1440&bih=785&tbm=isch&tbnid=eX_CZyDKuA8i3M:&imgrefurl=http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/birdbiogeography1.htm&docid=Ail8Tsw60CVjeM&imgurl=http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/biom_map.gif&w=550&h=296&ei=uRCCT7PmKcT50gGG7p3wBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=972&vpy=502&dur=215&hovh=165&hovw=306&tx=138&ty=65&sig=111249673296159591898&page=3&tbnh=93&tbnw=173&start=63&ndsp=35&ved=1t:429,r:33,s:63,i:342

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