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HDSO Ornithology > Chapter 4: Feathers > Flashcards

Chapter 4: Feathers Flashcards

1
Q

powder down

A

*quil continously growing and disintegrating, creating powdery substance

*barbs disintegrate, providing a fine powder thought to aid in preening and waterproofing the other feathers

*only feathers that grow continuously, never molted

*most prominent on breast/belly of herons and bitterns (family Ardeidae)

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2
Q
  1. lateral branches from rachis
  2. smaller projections from barbs
  3. hooks that interlock to hold #1 in place
A
  1. barbs
  2. barbules
  3. baricels
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3
Q

shrike-thrushes (New Guinea forests)

hooded pitohui (Pitohui dichrous)

A

*secrete poisons from their preen gland (similar to the alkaloids produced by poison arrow frogs)

*produces a particularly large amount of these poisons

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4
Q

*quil continously growing and disintegrating, creating powdery substance

*barbs disintegrate, providing a fine powder thought to aid in preening and waterproofing the other feathers

*only feathers that grow continuously, never molted

*most prominent on breast/belly of herons and bitterns (family Ardeidae)

A

powder down

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5
Q

*caused by the physical alteration of incident light

*result from scattering of short wavelengths of incident light (blues) by small melanin particles in the feather barbs

*structural blues converted to greens and violets when combined with carotenoid pigments

A

Structural colors

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6
Q
A
  1. capital
  2. humeral
  3. alar
  4. femoral
  5. crural
  6. spinal
  7. caudal
  8. ventral
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7
Q

plummage replaced following breeding (succeeds prebasic molt)

breeding plummage with brightly-colored feathers (succeeds prealternate molt)

A

basic (main) plummage

alternate plummage

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8
Q

*simplified feathers with sensory function; consist of a stiff rachis with a few basal barbs

*found mostly on head; also found on the knees of bristle-thighed curlews and on the toes of some owls

A

Bristles

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9
Q

basic (main) plummage

alternate plummage

A

plummage replaced following breeding (succeeds prebasic molt)

breeding plummage with brightly-colored feathers (succeeds prealternate molt)

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10
Q

*hairlike feathers that monitor movement and position of adjacent vaned feathers; might also have an ornamental function for displays (e.g. sage grouse)

*those associated with: flight feathers aid in aerodynamic adjustments; body contour feathers might help to monitor airspeed

*distributed inconspicuously throughout the plumage, but most numerous near moveable feathers

*fine rachis that terminates with a tuft of 1 to 6 short barbs with barbules

A

Filoplumes (absent in penguins, ostriches, and other flightless ratites)

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11
Q

natal down

second partial molt

A

replaces first molt with relatively normal assortment of feather types

mostly coat feathers; for adjusting coloration

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12
Q

*inner remiges attached to are bone (ulna)

*range from 6-40

A

secondaries

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13
Q

*secrete poisons from their preen gland (similar to the alkaloids produced by poison arrow frogs)

*produces a particularly large amount of these poisons

A

shrike-thrushes (New Guinea forests)

hooded pitohui (Pitohui dichrous)

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14
Q

Structural colors

A

*caused by the physical alteration of incident light

*result from scattering of short wavelengths of incident light (blues) by small melanin particles in the feather barbs

*structural blues converted to greens and violets when combined with carotenoid pigments

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15
Q

coverts

A

*smaller feathers overlapping the bases of the remiges; covers gaps between remiges

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16
Q

Bristles

A

*simplified feathers with sensory function; consist of a stiff rachis with a few basal barbs

*found mostly on head; also found on the knees of bristle-thighed curlews and on the toes of some owls

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17
Q

*acts to hide the birds outline

*dark dorsal surface absorbs light while the light underside reflects light, minimizing a shape-defining shadow

A

Counter shading (light ventral surface, dark dorsal surface)

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18
Q

(definitive down)

*soft and fluffy

*distribution can be continuous or restricted

*generally lack rachis (except waterfowl)

*Flexible barbs and barbules extend directly from the calamus (don’t interlock)

*They provide insulation by trapping air next to the skin

A

down feathers (in adults?)

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19
Q

down feathers (in adults?)

A

(definitive down)

*soft and fluffy

*distribution can be continuous or restricted

*generally lack rachis (except waterfowl)

*Flexible barbs and barbules extend directly from the calamus (don’t interlock)

*They provide insulation by trapping air next to the skin

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20
Q
  1. grays, blacks, browns, and buff colors; found in all birds
  2. yellows, oranges, reds, some blues and greens
  3. bright brown and green + unique magenta; unstable so do not last as they can be destroyed by sunlight; most often found in new feathers; structure related to hemoglobin
A
  1. melanins
  2. carotenoids
  3. porphyrins
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21
Q

*long central shaft w/ broad flat vane on either side

*vane base fluffy for insulation

A

body feathers (contour feathers)

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22
Q

uropygial (preen) gland

preening

A

*located on rump; secretes waxy/oily substance; some protect against bacteria, fungi, and ectoparasites (lice)

*grooming with beak + feet

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23
Q

feather tracts VS skin regions (lacking in penguins, screamers, and mousebirds)

feather tracts

A

pterylae VS apteria

8 used to distinguish avian taxa; arrangement related to efficiency of muscle movement of feathers, wing movements, and thermoregulation

24
Q

feather protein

A

beta-keratin

25
Q

*located on rump; secretes waxy/oily substance; some protect against bacteria, fungi, and ectoparasites (lice)

*grooming with beak + feet

A

uropygial (preen) gland

preening

26
Q

male Scarlet Tanager

  1. 0-1 month; prejuvenal molt; green & brown
  2. 1-3 months; first prebasic molt; green & brown
  3. 8-10 months; first prealternate molt; red & brown
  4. 1+ years; second prebasic molt; green & black
  5. 1+ years; second prealternate molt; red & black
A

male Scarlet Tanager

  1. juvenal plumage
  2. basic 1
  3. alternate 1
  4. basic 2
  5. alternate 2
27
Q

*smaller feathers overlapping the bases of the remiges; covers gaps between remiges

A

coverts

28
Q

*result from interference with light that reflects off stacks of melanin (the larger the stack the more intense the iridescence)

*must be viewed at the proper angle to be seen otherwise the feathers appear black

A

Iridescent colors

29
Q

starting with innmost to last on tip/outer

A

primary/tail feather replacement

30
Q

Filoplumes (absent in penguins, ostriches, and other flightless ratites)

A

*hairlike feathers that monitor movement and position of adjacent vaned feathers; might also have an ornamental function for displays (e.g. sage grouse)

*those associated with: flight feathers aid in aerodynamic adjustments; body contour feathers might help to monitor airspeed

*distributed inconspicuously throughout the plumage, but most numerous near moveable feathers

*fine rachis that terminates with a tuft of 1 to 6 short barbs with barbules

31
Q

cryptic

A

blend into background (some birds change color seasonally, e.g. ptarmigan)

32
Q

replaces first molt with relatively normal assortment of feather types

mostly coat feathers; for adjusting coloration

A

natal down

second partial molt

33
Q

calamus/quil

rachis

A

hollow base of countour shaft; achors feather in follicle (below skin)

rest of the shaft; supports the vane

34
Q

blend into background (some birds change color seasonally, e.g. ptarmigan)

A

cryptic

35
Q

Reverse counter shading (light on top, dark below)

signal patches

A

makes a bird more conspicuous

used to call specific attention to movements during displays (e.g. red-winged blackbird)

36
Q
  1. melanins
  2. carotenoids
  3. porphyrins
A
  1. grays, blacks, browns, and buff colors; found in all birds
  2. yellows, oranges, reds, some blues and greens
  3. bright brown and green + unique magenta; unstable so do not last as they can be destroyed by sunlight; most often found in new feathers; structure related to hemoglobin
37
Q

male Scarlet Tanager

  1. juvenal plumage
  2. basic 1
  3. alternate 1
  4. basic 2
  5. alternate 2
A

male Scarlet Tanager

  1. 0-1 month; prejuvenal molt; green & brown
  2. 1-3 months; first prebasic molt; green & brown
  3. 8-10 months; first prealternate molt; red & brown
  4. 1+ years; second prebasic molt; green & black
  5. 1+ years; second prealternate molt; red & black
38
Q

primaries

A

*remiges attached to the hand bone

*most birds have 10 (some songbirds have 9) (storks, flamingos, grebes, and rheas have 11) (ostriches have 16) (flightless Kiwis have 3-4)

39
Q

primary/tail feather replacement

A

starting with innmost to last on tip/outer

40
Q

*broad, flat, stiff vane to form air foil

A

remiges (flight feathers)

41
Q

*attached to the fused caudal vertebrae (pygostyle)

*used for turning and breaking during flight

*most birds have 12 (anis and grouse have 18) (snipe have 24)

*also contains coverts (tail coverts)

A

retrices (tail flight feathers)

42
Q

Counter shading (light ventral surface, dark dorsal surface)

A

*acts to hide the birds outline

*dark dorsal surface absorbs light while the light underside reflects light, minimizing a shape-defining shadow

43
Q

pterylae VS apteria

8 used to distinguish avian taxa; arrangement related to efficiency of muscle movement of feathers, wing movements, and thermoregulation

A

feather tracts VS skin regions (lacking in penguins, screamers, and mousebirds)

feather tracts

44
Q

disruptive coloration

A

*reduces contrast between bird’s shape and background (e.g. some plovers (e.g. killdeer) have bold striping that separate the outline of their head from their body; bold coloration of warblers helps them blend with leaves and twigs)

45
Q

secondaries

A

*inner remiges attached to are bone (ulna)

*range from 6-40

46
Q

retrices (tail flight feathers)

A

*attached to the fused caudal vertebrae (pygostyle)

*used for turning and breaking during flight

*most birds have 12 (anis and grouse have 18) (snipe have 24)

*also contains coverts (tail coverts)

47
Q

Iridescent colors

A

*result from interference with light that reflects off stacks of melanin (the larger the stack the more intense the iridescence)

*must be viewed at the proper angle to be seen otherwise the feathers appear black

48
Q

hollow base of countour shaft; achors feather in follicle (below skin)

rest of the shaft; supports the vane

A

calamus/quil

rachis

49
Q

beta-keratin

A

feather protein

50
Q

Semiplumes

A

*intermediate in structure between down and contour feathers: large rachis with loose and flexible vanes

*rachis distinguishes semiplumes from down

*provide insulation, fill out aerodynamic contours of body plumage, and form courtship ornaments

51
Q

*reduces contrast between bird’s shape and background (e.g. some plovers (e.g. killdeer) have bold striping that separate the outline of their head from their body; bold coloration of warblers helps them blend with leaves and twigs)

A

disruptive coloration

52
Q

*remiges attached to the hand bone

*most birds have 10 (some songbirds have 9) (storks, flamingos, grebes, and rheas have 11) (ostriches have 16) (
*flightless Kiwis have 3-4)

A

primaries

53
Q

body feathers (contour feathers)

A

*long central shaft w/ broad flat vane on either side

*vane base fluffy for insulation

54
Q

*intermediate in structure between down and contour feathers: large rachis with loose and flexible vanes

*rachis distinguishes semiplumes from down

*provide insulation, fill out aerodynamic contours of body plumage, and form courtship ornaments

A

Semiplumes

55
Q

makes a bird more conspicuous

used to call specific attention to movements during displays (e.g. red-winged blackbird)

A

Reverse counter shading (light on top, dark below)

signal patches

56
Q
  1. barbs
  2. barbules
  3. baricels
A
  1. lateral branches from rachis
  2. smaller projections from barbs
  3. hooks that interlock to hold #1 in place
57
Q

remiges (flight feathers)

A

*broad, flat, stiff vane to form air foil

HDSO Ornithology (10 decks)

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