Birds and the Origin of Flight

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Birds and the Origin of Flight
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Major Features

• The Aves or birds contains about 9,000 species,
  ranking it second only to the bony fish in number
  of species
• Feathers
• Associated with flight - the major characteristic
  feature of birds is the capacity for flight.
• modified scales

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Feathers as Insulation

• The evolution of feathers may have been important
  in providing insulation that would help maintain
  a body temperature higher than that of the
  surrounding environment.

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Feathers and Flight

• Being airborne, birds have more mobility and
  access to resources.
• Not all birds are capable of flight, but
  flightless birds are evolutionarily derived from
  flying ancestors.

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Adaptations for Flight

• Things that fly must be made to fit strict
  specifications.
• This is why most birds have a similar body shape,
  even though they live in very different habitats
  and have very different diets.

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Adaptations for Flight

• Reduction in the weight
• hollow construction of the skeleton

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Adaptations for Flight

• Fusion and loss of bones and teeth

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Adaptations for Flight

• Fused clavicles and keeled sternum

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Adaptations for flight

• 4-chambered heart

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Adaptations for flight - respiration
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Adaptations for Flight

• Reduced urogenital system

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Flight the basics

• Lift (airfoil)

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Flight the basics
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Birds are theropod dinosaurs
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