Ornithology
BIOL 430
Spring 2012
Dr. Philip D. Sudman
Office: Science
203B
968-9154;
sudman@tarleton.edu
Lecture:
MWF 8:00-8:50, 112 SC
Lab: W 2:00-4:50, 404 SC
Textbook:
Gill, F. B. Ornithology, 3rd
Edition, W.H. Freeman, New York.
ISBN
978-0-7167-4983-7
Lab Text:
Any book on the birds of North America.
Lots of choices!
COURSE
OBJECTIVES: This course is designed so that the student
will achieve a general understanding of the life of birds and how they function
and interact with their environment.
Included will be information related to ecology, anatomy, physiology,
behavior, evolution, and systematics.
The laboratory portion of the course will be primarily devoted to avian
anatomy and identification/classification of our local avian fauna. Six
Friday morning field trips are scheduled throughout the semester to observe
birds and participation in at least 3 of these trips is required. Other requirements and birding trips will be
outlined in lecture and lab. A weekend
long trip is also planned to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge - more details later
in the semester.
TENTATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE:
|
Date |
Topic |
Chapters |
|
Jan. 18-20 |
Introduction,
Adaptations for Flight |
1, 5 |
|
Jan. 23-25 |
Origin &
Evolution |
2 |
|
Jan. 27 |
Field Trip – City Park |
|
|
Jan. 30-Feb. 3 |
Systematics
& Taxonomy |
3 |
|
Feb. 6-8 |
Feathers,
Skeletal & Muscular systems – EXAM #1 |
4, 5 |
|
Feb. 10 |
Field Trip – Hunewell Ranch |
|
|
Feb. 13-17 |
Circulatory
& Respiratory systems |
6 |
|
Feb. 20-22 |
Digestive &
Urogenital systems |
14, 6 |
|
Feb. 24 |
Field Trip – TBD |
|
|
Feb 27-March 2 |
Nervous &
Endocrine systems |
7, 9 |
|
March 5-7 |
Catch up and
review – EXAM #2 |
6 |
|
March 9 |
Field Trip – TBD |
|
|
March 12-16 |
SPRING BREAK |
|
|
March 19-23 |
Metabolism &
Energetics |
6 |
|
March 26-28 |
Behavior &
Songs |
7, 8, 11 |
|
March 30 |
Field Trip – TBD |
|
|
April 2-4 |
Feeding Adaptations |
6 |
|
April 9-11 |
EXAM #3 – Mating Systems etc. |
12, 13 |
|
April 13 |
Field Trip – TBD |
|
|
April 16-20 |
Eggs,
Incubation, Brood Parasitism |
14, 15, 13 |
|
April 23-27 |
Clutch Size,
Parental Care. Migration |
16,17, 10 |
|
April 30-May 2 |
Population
Ecology & Conservation |
18, 21 |
Test Dates:
Feb. 8th;
March 7th; April 11th
Final Exam Friday, May 4th 11:30 – 2:00
Links to review sheets will be posted prior to
each exam.
EXAM #1 Review
– the first exam is scheduled for 8 February 2012
EXAM#2 Review
– second exam is scheduled for 7 March 2012
EXAM#3 Review
– exam 3 is rescheduled for 11 April 2012
Final Review
– 11:30 May 4th
Grading:
4 lecture exams – 100 pts
each = 400 pts
2 lab exams – 100 pts each =
200 pts
Field ID exam – 50 pts
Journal – 50 pts
Total = 700 pts
Grading will approximate a
90 – 80 – 70 – 60 – below scale for A, B, C, D, F based on total points for the
course.
Academic Standards: Tarleton State University expects
its students to maintain high standards of personal and scholarly conduct.
Students guilty of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary action.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination
or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource
materials. The faculty member is responsible for initiating action for each
case of academic dishonesty that occurs in his/her class.
Student
Disabilities: It is the policy of Tarleton State University
to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other applicable laws. If
you are a student with a disability seeking accommodations for this course,
please contact Trina Geye, Director of Student Disability Services, at
254.968.9400 or geye@tarleton.edu.
Student Disability Services is located in Math 201. More information can be
found at www.tarleton.edu/sds or in
the University Catalog.