Characteristics
Bird Groups
Anatomy
Feathers
Adaptations
100
This unique characteristic of a birds skeleton makes it much lighter than others
What is bones are thin & hollow?
100
Penguins, ostriches, and kiwis are examples of these birds
What are flightless birds?
100
This is the largest bone in the bird skeleton, where the flight muscles attach to
What is the keel OR sternum OR breastbone ?
100
This kind of feather keeps the bird warm
What is down?
100
A night active bird would be nocturnal,but a day active bird would be this:
What is diurnal ?
200
This term describes a bird's ability to regulate its own body temperature
What is endothermic or warm blooded?
200
A cardinal, robin and blue jay are all examples of this group of birds
What are songbirds or perching birds?
200
These reptiles may be the ancestors of the 1st birds
What are pterosaurs or pterodactyls ?
200
This type of feather is the main reason birds can fly
What is contour ?
200
This organ of the birds digestive system is a storage area for food
What is the crop?
300
Birds have these, which are acutally highly modified scales, no other type of animal does
What are feathers?
300

Ducks, geese and swans are all examples of this group of birds

What are waterfowl or water birds?

300
These are long curled claws for tearing meat
What are talons ?
300
A birds feather has many _____________,which are held together by many smaller hooks called ______________.
What are barbs and barbules ?
300
This organ of a bird's digestive system is where food is ground up and digested
What is the gizzard?
400
A bird's heart is able to beat extremely rapidly and pump large amounts of blood due to the fact that it has this many chambers
What is 4?
400
A hawk, eagle and falcon are all examples of this group of birds
What are birds of prey?
400
A very long, skinny pointed beak, used for sucking the nectar out of flowers might be found on this type of bird
What is a hummingbird?
400
Both bird feathers and beaks are made of this protein, which is found in our hair and nails
What is keratin ?
400
Birds that are born "ready to go" are _______________, while those without feathers and blind are _____________.
What are precocial and altricial ?
500
The eggs that birds lay are hard-shelled eggs due to the fact that each shell contains this element (or compund)
What is calcium (carbonate)?
500
Owls are unique in that they have this type of activity
What is nocturnal?
500
This is the name for the specialized voice box that enables some birds to "sing"
What is the syrinx ?
500
When they mate, most birds must do this:
What is rub their cloacas together ?
500
Generally in bird courtship, the ___________ try to attract the ____________, and birds usually have #____ mate(s) at a given time.
What is males, females, one ?
M
e
n
u