Ornithology in Laboratory and Field (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Ornithology in Laboratory and Field 4
Copyright Page 5
Table of Contents 12
Dedication 6
PREFACE 8
CHAPTER 1. BIRDS AND ORNITHOLOGY: AN INTRODUCTION 22
Birds Defined 22
Ornithology Defined 24
Ornithology Previewed 24
CHAPTER 2. TOPOGRAPHY 31
The Head 31
The Neck 32
The Trunk 32
The Bill 36
The Wings 37
The Tail 46
The Legs and Feet 46
References 48
CHAPTER 3. FEATHERS AND FEATHER TRACTS 50
Structure of a Typical Feather 50
Feathers of Adult Birds 56
Feathers of Newly Hatched Birds 63
Feather Development 63
The Coloration of Feathers 68
Feather Tracts 71
The Number of Contour Feathers on a Bird 74
Feather Parasites 76
References 76
CHAPTER 4. ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY 80
Part I. The Anatomy of the Pigeon 80
Skeletal System 80
Muscular System 93
Respiratory and Digestive Systems 102
Circulatory System 108
Urogenital System 109
Nervous System 112
Part II. Some Anatomical and Physiological Considerations 118
Literature 118
Skeleton 119
Musculature 123
The Oil Gland 126
Digestive System 127
Respiratory System 130
Circulatory System 134
Body Temperature 137
Urogenital System 140
Salt Glands 142
Endocrine Organs 143
Special Senses and Their Organs 147
The Brain 154
CHAPTER 5. SYSTEMATICS 155
The Species 155
Subspecies 155
Speciation 157
Some Examples of Bird Speciation 159
The Higher Categories 161
Nomenclature 165
References 167
CHAPTER 6. EXTERNAL STRUCTURAL CHARACTERS 170
Characters of the Bill 170
Characters of the Tail 175
Characters of the Wings 176
Characters of the Feet 178
Characters of the Plumage 182
Miscellaneous Characters 185
Synopsis of North American Orders and Families 185
CHAPTER 7. LABORATORY IDENTIFICATION 195
Identification of Orders and Families 195
Identification of Species 195
Identification of Subspecies 196
Key to the Orders of Birds of North America North of Mexico 196
Key to the Families of Birds of North America North of Mexico 198
CHAPTER 8. PLUMAGES AND PLUMAGE COLORATION 209
Sequences of Plumages and Molts 209
Eclipse Plumage 213
Molting in Adults 213
Plumage-change with Molt 215
A Study of Plumage-changes 215
Abnormal Plumage Coloration 215
Color Phases 216
Sexual, Age, and Seasonal Differences in Plumage Coloration 217
Uses of Plumage Coloration 217
References 220
CHAPTER 9. DISTRIBUTION 223
Geographical Distribution 224
Seasonal Distribution 230
Ecological Distribution 231
CHAPTER 10. FIELD IDENTIFICATION 252
Equipment 252
Materials 253
Procedure 254
Results 266
Supplementary Guides 266
Other Guides and References 267
CHAPTER 11. BEHAVIOR 268
Inherited and Learned Behaviors 268
Individual Behavior 272
Social Behavior 277
General Study Procedures 282
The Study of Behavior 284
References 286
CHAPTER 12. MIGRATION 290
Causes of Migration 291
Preparation and Stimulus for Migration 292
Diurnal and Nocturnal Migration 292
Effects of Weather on Migration 293
Regularity of Migratory Travel 294
Irregular Migrations 298
Reverse Migration 301
Rate of Migratory Travel 301
Mortality in Migration 304
Altitudes of Migratory Travel 305
Course of Migration and Migration Routes 307
Altitudinal Migration 308
Distances in Migratory Travel 315
Flight Lanes and Concentrations 316
Flocking during Migration 317
Direction-finding 319
Aids and Additional Suggestions for the Study of Migration 324
References 327
CHAPTER 13. TERRITORY 334
Classification of Territory 334
Establishment and Maintenance of Territory 335
Size of Territory 335
Functions of Territory 336
Home Range 337
The Study of Territory 337
References 338
CHAPTER 14. SONG 342
Functions of Song 342
Substitutes for Song 342
Male Songs 342
Female Songs 345
Mimicry 345
Subsongs 346
Inheritance of Song 346
The Study of Bird Song 346
References 349
CHAPTER 15. MATING 352
Preliminary Stages 352
Mating 352
Kinds of Mating Relations 353
Duration of Mating 353
Mating Displays 354
The Study of Mating 356
References 356
CHAPTER 16. NESTS AND NEST-BUILDING 359
The Development of Nests 359
Classification of Nests 361
Identification of Nests 363
Nest-building 363
False Nests 366
Re-use of Nests 367
Protection of Nests 367
Nest Fauna 367
The Study of Nests and Nest-building 368
References 369
CHAPTER 17. EGGS, EGG-LAYING, AND INCUBATION 374
Size, Shape, and Coloration 374
Identification of Eggs 375
Number of Eggs in a Clutch 375
Number of Clutches per Breeding Season 376
Egg-laying 377
Incubation 378
Abnormalities of Incubation 383
Brood Parasitism 383
The Study of Eggs, Egg-Laying, and Incubation 385
References 387
CHAPTER 18. YOUNG AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT 393
Hatching 393
Development of Altricial Young 394
Development of Precocial Young 401
Age of Maturity for Breeding 404
The Study of Young and Their Development 405
References 407
CHAPTER 19. PARENTAL CARE 411
Removal of Eggshells 411
Brooding 411
Feeding 412
Nest Sanitation 414
Nest Helpers 415
Parental Carrying of Young 415
Defense 416
Young-Parent Recognition 416
Duration of Family Bond 417
The Study of Parental Care 418
References 420
CHAPTER 20. LONGEVITY, NUMBERS, AND POPULATIONS 422
Longevity 422
Numbers 423
Populations 424
The Study of Populations 428
References 433
CHAPTER 21. ANCESTRY, EVOLUTION, AND DECREASE OF BIRDS 436
Speculations on Ancestry 436
Early Evolution 439
Later Evolution 441
The Number of Birds in the Past 442
Loss of Flight 443
The Decrease of Birds 444
References 447
APPENDIX A: ORNITHOLOGICAL METHODS 449
Blinds for Observation and Photography 449
Bird Photography 451
Recording Bird Vocalizations 452
Recording Colors of Birds and Bird Eggs 454
Measuring Elevation of Nests and Flight Paths 454
Marking Nest Sites, Boundaries of Territories, and Census Lines 455
Capturing Wild Birds 455
Banding Wild Birds 458
Marking Wild Birds 459
Collecting Birds 461
Permits for Capturing, Banding, Marking, and Collecting Birds 461
Preparing and Storing Specimens 464
Determining the Sex and Age of Live Birds 465
Weighing Birds 469
Measuring Birds 469
Attracting Birds 471
Controlling Objectionable Birds 472
APPENDIX B: PREPARATION OF A PAPER 473
Preparation of the Manuscript 473
Organization 474
Style of Writing 476
APPENDIX C: BIBLIOGRAPHIES PERTAINING TO ORNITHOLOGY 478
APPENDIX D: BIBLIOGRAPHY OF LIFE HISTORY STUDIES 482
APPENDIX E: SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF REGIONAL WORKS 496
United States 496
Canada 504
Greenland 505
Mexico 506
Central America 506
West Indies 507
South America 507
Atlantic Islands 508
Europe and Asia 508
Africa 511
Australia, New Zealand, and Islands of the Western Pacific 512
Marine Birds 513
APPENDIX F: BOOKS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION AND RECREATIONAL READING 514
APPENDIX G: CURRENT ORNITHOLOGICAL JOURNALS 521
North American 521
Foreign 524
APPENDIX H: CLUTCH SIZES, INCUBATION PERIODS, AND AGES AT FLEDGING 527
APPENDIX I: ECTOPARASITES OF BIRDS: A BRIEF REVIEW 530
INDEX 538