Feathers
The order in which a bird loses its feathers is called what?
Molt Sequence
What is the part of the chest that a bird's muscles are attached to called?
Keel
What is undulating flight?
An up and down movement
What is a photoperiod?
Why do birds fly in formations?
It reduces wind resistance, conserving energy
What is the thick, hard pole in the center of a feather called?
Shaft
What is the wing bone called?
Humerus
How do birds steer when in flight?
Using their tail, tilting wings, or flapping wings
What it a homing instinct?
The ability to reach a destination without getting lost
Which feathers look more like hair than feathers? Often found near the eyelids of a bird.
Bristle
What is the sac of oil used to waterproof feathers during preening called?
Preen Gland
How are bird bones different from mammal bones?
Bird bones are hollow
What are thermals and how do they help birds to soar?
Heat rising from the ground creates a kind of wave for the birds to ride in circles
What is the magnetic mineral found in the beak of birds called?
Magnetite
What is the soft part of the feather called?
Vane
What pigment comes from food the bird eats and produces reds, oranges, pinks and yellows?
Carotenoids
Of the two flight muscles, does the larger muscle control the upstroke or downstroke?
Downstroke
What bird spends 90% of its life in the air?
Albatross
What is the protein found in birds eyes that may allow them to see magnetic fields called?
Cryptochrome
What is the difference between retrices and remiges?
retrices are flight feathers on tail and remiges are flight feathers on the wing
A bird who lays its egg in another bird’s nest is called?
Brood Parasite
Name the two flight muscles
Pectoralis and supracoracoideus
Do birds usually take off in the direction of the wind or against the wind?
Against the wind to get more airflow to provide lift
What bird migrates 50,000 miles per year going back and forth from the Arctic to Antarctic?
Arctic tern
Which feathers are never molted but crumble into a fine powder for waterproofing?
Powder down feathers