Bird Anatomy

Question 1

What is the difference in bone composition between mammals and birds

Answer 1

Birds have higher composition of calcium phosphate

Question 2

What is pneumatised bone?

Answer 2

A pneumatized bone is hollow or contains many air cells,

Question 3

What are some examples of pneumatised bones in birds?

Answer 3

Humerus
Thoracic girdle
Certain ribs

Question 4

What is the jaw of a bird like?

Answer 4

The articulation of the upper jaw and cranium is an elastic zone

the upper jaw of a bird attaches to the skull at a flexible hinge. When a bird opens its mouth, the lower jaw moves downward and the upper jaw moves upward relative to the skull. Birds can therefore open their mouths wider than a mammal. —> prokinesis

Question 5

What is the the os quadrum?

Answer 5

An extra bone that allows for extra wide opening of the jaw

Question 6

What is the ocular size of birds like?

Answer 6

Very small bone in between eye sockets, as birds have large eyes

Question 7

What is the cranial bone like/

Answer 7

Spongy due to pneumatic bones
Small cranial cavity

Question 8

What is the occipital bone like In birds?

Answer 8

Single occipital condyle
Allows wider range of head movement

Question 9

What is the cervical vertebrae like?

Answer 9

Can have ribs articulating them
Very uniform in shape, so difficult to distinguish between cervical and thoracic end
Large number of vertebrae to allow for flexible neck

Question 10

What is the thoracic vertebrae like?

Answer 10

Ribs attached that articulate with the sternum
3-10 thoracic vertebrae

Question 11

What is the notarium?

Answer 11

First 4 vertebrae are fused

Question 12

What are feathers made from,

Answer 12

Keratin

Question 13

What is the calamus

Answer 13

The smooth, unpigmented base, which extends under the skin into the feather follicle,

Question 14

What is the rachis or scarpus

Answer 14

Theportionabovetheskin,fromwhichthe smaller barbs or branches extend,

Question 15

What are contour feathers

Answer 15

Cover surface of most of the bird

They protect the bird from sun, wind, rain, and injury. Often, these feathers are brightly colored and have different color patterns. Contour feathers are divided into flight feathers and those that cover the body.
Flight feathers: Flight feathers are the large feathers of the wing and tail. Flight feath

Question 16

What are flight feathers

Answer 16

Large feathers of the wing and tail
Collectively known as the remiges

Question 17

What are primary feathers like?

Answer 17

Attaches to metacarpal and phalanges
Responsible for forward thrust
Usually 10 feathers

Question 18

What are the secondary feathers like?

Answer 18

Attach to the ulna
Helps with lift
Usually 10-14

Question 19

What do the tail feathers help with

Answer 19

as brakes and a rudder, controlling the orientation of the flight.

Question 20

What are down feathers used for

Answer 20

Small feathers under contour feathers
Traps air in insulating layer by skin, protecting from heat and cold

Question 21

What is a blood feather

Answer 21

New developing feather
Artery and vein that extends through the shaft
Has dark appearance

Question 22

What colour is a mature feather

Answer 22

White

Question 23

What colour feathers contain melanin

Answer 23

Brown to black

Question 24

What colour are feathers contain carotenoids?

Answer 24

Yellow, orange, red

Question 25

What colour feathers contain porphyrin

Answer 25

Red and green

Question 26

How is the humerus adapted for flight

Answer 26

Short and thick to support flight muscles

Question 27

How are the radius and ulnar adapted for flight

Answer 27

the ulna has small tubercles to which the muscles controlling the position of the secondary flight feathers are attached

Question 28

How are the carpals and metacarpals adapted for flight

Answer 28

The carpals and metacarpals are fused, and there are only three digits. This structure keeps the primary flight feathers in the right positions during flapping flight

Question 29

What is the carpus like in birds

Answer 29

Has a crescent shaped carpal bone
Allowes abduction
Allows wing to fold at rest

Question 30

What two muscles are used for flight

Answer 30

Pectoral
Supercoracoideous

Question 31

How are the pectoral muscles used in flight

Answer 31

adduct shoulder joint to create powerful downstroke.
Larger than supracoracoideous

Question 32

How does supracoracoideous muscle assist in flight

Answer 32

lies deep to the pectorals, but its tendon runs over the top of the shoulder joint through the foramen triosseum to insert on top of the humerus. Abducts shoulder joint to create upstroke.