Bird Ancestry
Bird Ancestry
The origins of birds has become one of the most dynamic areas of evolutionary study.
Learning Objective: Discuss the ancestry of modern birds, including evidence of relatedness to reptiles, and more specifically, dinosaurs.
If you are searching for wild vertebrates to study, birds are typically the easiest to find. Put out some seed and water, or sit quietly by a bush, and you are not alone for long.
This section provides a context for birds you may encounter in your studies.
This video uses a field guide to introduce the birds you are likely to encounter.
Watch this video; you can select the closed captioning “cc” option if you would like to see the text.
Bird Orders
There are approximately 46 bird orders. Here is a sample of ones you are likely to encounter.
Order Passeriformes
These are the perching birds, sometimes called the “songbirds.” These account for over half of all bird species. Sparrows, finches, crows, and more.
Order Galliformes
Large ground-feeding birds that are significant to humans. Includes turkeys, quail, pheasants, and chickens.
Order Anseriformes
Includes many of the waterbird species, including ducks, geese, and swans.
Order Strigiformes
Unique body form and binocular vision, these are the owls.
Order Piciformes
Parrot-like feet that used to hang on to vertical surfaces, this order includes the woodpeckers.
Order Apodiformes
Small birds with nectar-feeding beaks. These are the hummingbirds.
If you have been around chickens, you may totally buy that there are little dinosaurs. It’s not just the behaviors and body form, details like the skin on the legs are reminiscent of reptilian scales.
This video walks through the ancestry of modern birds.
Pterosaurs and Archaeopteryx both had wings, but were different lineages of reptiles.
Fruit bats have wings for flight like butterflies and birds. This is an example of convergent evolution, the mutations leading to wing structure arose multiple times in evolutionary history.
Structure relates to function, and the next section relates the structure of bird beaks to diet.
Check your knowledge – Bird Ancestry
Review your notes. Can you tell the story of bird ancestry? If so, move forward to the next page.
Learning Objective:
Discuss the ancestry of modern birds, including evidence of relatedness to reptiles, and more specifically, dinosaurs.
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Go back to the Field Marks Page
Go forward to the Bird Beaks Page
Field Sketching Contents
Complete all five of these sections before taking the quiz and submitting your media piece.
This Module
4: What is it?
This Guide
4C: Field Sketching
Products Information
4C: Quiz & Media
