Ornithology
Exam #3 Material
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
* Pituitary gland (anterior & posterior)
* Adrenal gland (interrenal [cortex] and chromaffin [medulla])
* Thyroid
* Parathyroid
* Ultimobranchial Bodies
* Pancreas
* Gonads
* For each of these major endocrine glands, know hormones secreted and basic function.
PHOTOPERIODISM
* 4 functions of photoperiod recognition
* What is the cue that birds use to determine timing of major cyclic events?
* Photorefractoriness Ð what is this?
* Differentiate between circadian cycle and circannual cycle.
ENERGETICS & THERMOREGULATION
* Metabolism, metabolic rate, BMR, etc. Know the definitions of these terms.
* How is metabolic rate determined for birds living in the wild?
* What is the general formula for heat loss?
* What are the three general ways a bird can reduce heat loss/gain?
* Thermal neutral zone, UCT, LCT?
* How does each of the following influence MR:
o Size
o Phylogeny
o Circadian phase
o Digestive state
o Environment
o Life history
o Sex
* Cold adaptation and Heat adaptation Ð what are the ways a bird can cope with cold through 1) physical; 2) physiological; and 3) behavioral adjustments.
BEHAVIOR
* Innate behavior (=instinct) genetically pre-programmed
* Learned behavior Ð imprinting; habituation; conditioned behavior; trial & error
learning; insight learning
VOCALIZATION
* Two major types with different functions
Two ranges associated with locality information
Important for species and individual recognition
Many species have a varied repertoire
Mimicry?
REPRODUCTION
* Mating systems - types of pair bonds; extra-pair copulations; polyandry, polygyny, etc.
* Eggs Ð structure (layers), content, function of various parts, colors
* Clutch size Ð 4 hypotheses for evolution of clutch size
* Parental Care Ð 2 patterns of incubation (benefits of each?)
Altricial vs precocial young
* Brood Parasitism Ð advantages? Evolution? Effects on host? Coevolutionary adaptations of host and parasite?
* Cooperative Breeding Ð how does this work? Who is involved?