Birds are a group of animal which consist of many species, all of which play various roles in several ecological niches. Birds are considered ‘biologically successful’ due in fact to the number of species present. Currently, there are approximately 10,000 species of birds, which is almost double the amount of species of mammals or amphibians. The differences which separate birds from mammals and make them more successful are the presence of large yolked eggs, which support the offspring until birth, and the absence of lactation which allows for greater energy usage and efficiency. Birds have developed these adaptations over the course of thousands of years. Additionally, birds are considered ‘biologically successful’ due to the fact that they are found on almost every continent on Earth. Examples include several species of birds in the forests of North and South America and Asia, several species of birds in the cities of Europe, and the flocks of the presence of ostriches and various other birds in the planes of Africa and Australia, and very notably, the existence of penguins in …show more content…
These include body shape, presence of feathers, structure of the skeleton, structure of the limbs, make-up of the respiratory system, and high metabolism. Birds have small, light, and condensed body forms when compared to other animals. Their anatomical mapping of their organs and muscles, show that these are located nearest to the center of gravity, which provides better balance during flight. Also, the presence and scheme of their feathers, which are contour, allow for the body to be covered tightly. This makes it streamline and somewhat reduces the effect experienced by drag. Primary feathers are on the wings help in flight and also provide wing shape, while Down feathers are soft and act as insulation. Tail feathers stretch sideways so that tail can be used by the bird to turn and
Thesis Statement: Mary Aprarico Castrejon reveals in her essay “The Fighter Bird” grit which she, her Papi, and her Ama have despite their poor living situations.
In Elia Kazan’s movie On the Waterfront, we see that pigeons and hawks are used to symbolize different characters in the movie. Pigeons are used to represent characters that are weaker and more susceptible to the mob. On the other hand, hawks are used to represent characters that are more powerful and influential to others. Certain individual in the movie begin as either a pigeon or hawk and mutate into the other by the end. Timothy Dugan is an example of someone that remains a pigeon while Terry is one that begins as a pigeon and morphs into a hawk by the end of the film.
The Pharomachrus mocinno has evolved many behavioural and physical traits as a result of adaptation to the current environment and lifestyle it leads, however this proposal will focus on the unusual plume tail length of the male P. mocinno. This particular species habitat requires nests as high as 22 meters in rotting trees (Seigfried et al. 2010). Therefore, the function of the feathers would typically be assumed to enhance flight, as that would make sense as a useful function in this scenario due to the high elevation. Surprisingly, however, the long length of the plume tail actually decreases the speed of the male bird due to the drag force of air (Norberg 1995) and requires it to drop backward off the branches before being able to fly forward normally (LaBastille et al. 1972). With such issues with the long plume tails, would sexual selection really be in this traits’ favour? In a study done on the widowbird such was the case; males with longer plumes were mated the most (Andersson 1982). However, the widowbird is completely black (including its tail), while in the case of Pharomachrus mocinno it is a very colourful bird. Previous studies also have shown, that the bright reflective colours on the male’s bodies help in attracting females (LaBastille et al. 1972).
Feathers evolved for purposes other than flight. What are some possible functions for these early feathers?
All of the finches studied in this experiment originated on the same island. On this island there was diversified food success, allowing natural selection to take place and create separate species to fill different niches on the island. When the natural disaster occurred the finches were forced to migrate to another island where the conditions were not as favorable. The finches that were once separated by clines and food sources are now competing for survival.
In Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, she emphasizes how the little things, such as detail, should become the primary focal point to writing. I believe that the chapter titled Index Cards, played a big role on how to use detail in your notes. The chapter titled Character, stressed the way to inhibit such detail in your writing and how far you actually need to go with that detail. Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird and her large press on detail provided me with insight on how to help me ace my future essays.
The Novel Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks is a story of various parts of one mans life, Stephen Wraysford. The first par of the book is a love story, when Stephen Wraysford is living and working in Northern France. The main text of the book is when Stephen Wraysford returns to Northern France again, this time as an officer in the British Army, during the First World War. This is the section in which Jack Firebrace features. The final part of the book is a recurring sub plot set in the seventies.
There was originally only one species of bird on the mainland (with variation in beak shape). Over many generations, the bird population on each island will
The greatest art in films is by the means of the ability to create an emotion in the viewers of the film and by the means of and imagery. Alfred Hitchcock, for a long time, has been a household name since he began filmmaking. Hitchcock has been able to accumulate a well-known and distinct cinematic techniques making him stand out as one of the best filmmakers around the globe. What makes Hitchcock’s films ‘must watch’ movies are how he draws his viewers’ emotion and leave them in suspense (Maher 246). Hitchcock’s The Birds is an American horror-film dropped in 1963. The film is loosely rooted in the 1952 story of Daphne Du Maurier and focuses on a sudden series, unexplained powerful and violent birds attacking the people of Bodega Bay
The finches on the Galapagos Islands all evolved separately from each other and adapted to their unique environments. The different species of finch on the Islands developed different characteristics over time to fit into their niche in the
From the beginning of time our species has had to learn to adapt to their world. Through this development process, we have learned how to expand our primitive developments over time to achieve maximum results. We constantly are evolving and adapting to the world around us. These changes can be brought on by climate changes, technology advancements, as well as resource changes. If we look at the Industrial revolution, we can see this process in full swing. A boom of new technologies started happening. The push for this was to maximize the industries results. With these new developments implemented, products were able to be produced faster and better. This
How does feeing behavior change in the instance a threating noise is made, such as the call of a predatory bird? Will the feeding birds habituate to a predator’s call over time? What about woodland birds vs. more urban birds?
when they hear that the giver of life isn’t the smartest.) These are the two
You may have thought that when you let your cat outdoors that it was safe, but unfortunately, nature is not always pretty. When experts placed webcams around a nest of bald eagles in Pittsburgh, what they found out was shocking. The video footage captured adult eagles returning with a young cat in their talons, and they were feeding it to their two eaglets.
The theory of species varying globally is supported by the flightless birds found in South America, Africa, and Australia. The rheas, emus, and ostriches all have very