Ornithology

Exam #4 Material

NESTS

Characteristics, materials used, etc.

How is nest safety achieved?

Advantages/costs of colonial nesting?

COMMUNICATION

Visual Displays – know functions and what is involved (i.e. color, patterns, etc.).

Plumage difference important for?

Courtship displays – what types of things are usually involved?

Agonistic displays – functions, types?

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

Length of incubation highly variable – why?

Hatching – 5 basic steps.

How is synchronization achieved?

FORAGING

Optimal foraging theory – what is it and what does it predict?

Time and profit – be able to correlate these to feeding.

When would a bird be a specialist, when a generalist?

Are calories the only “profit?”

What changes when a bird begins foraging for young?

What kinds of birds cache food?

Feeding specialties – can you think of any?

MIGRATION

Definition?

Other options?

How is it thought that migration evolved in the first place?

Be able to list and define the different types of migration.

What is the difference between navigation and orientation?

What cues are used for navigation? Orientation?

What is the ultimate control of the timing of migration? Proximate control?

What are the physiological adaptations associated with migration?

What is zugunruhe?

How fast? How far?

BLACK-CAPPED VIREOS

Be prepared to answer a question or two related to Cassie’s presentation.