Scientific Classification
REMEMBER:
Kingdom: Animalia
The Institute for Marine Mammals (IMMS) is a
non-profit organization established in 1984 for the purposes of public education, conservation, and research of
marine mammals and sea turtles in the wild and under
human care. Located in Gulfport, MS, IMMS is the
premiere organization in the Mississippi-LouisianaAlabama sub-region of the Gulf Coast with capability
and expertise to care for sick and injured marine animals. Additionally, IMMS promotes public awareness of
marine conservation issues through its involvement in
the community. IMMS encourages the public to be good
stewards of the environment and continuously work to
improve the quality of life on the Gulf Coast.
Institute for Marine Mammals Studies
P.O. Box 207
Gulfport, MS 39502
Phone: 228-896-9182
Fax: 228-896-9183
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.IMMS.org
Prepared by
Paul Nettles, 2012
Phylum: Chordata
Birds
and
Adaptations
Class: Aves
Order: 23
Family: 142
Genus: 2,057
Species: 9,702
www.birding.about.com
Bird Facts:
There are over 9,000 species of birds in the world. Approximately 925 different species have been seen in the
U.S. and Canada. About 1,000 have been seen in Europe.
By far the largest concentration of bird species is found in
South America, over 3,200 species. South Mississippi
alone, is home to more than 320 species. Birds are the only
animals to have feathers; most species are capable of
flight. Feathers are composed of keritan, which is the same
substance comprising hair, hooves, and beaks. A bird’s
wing consists of primary feathers forming the point of the
wing; secondary and tertiary feathers are located in closer
proximity to the bird’s body. Contour feathers give the
bird its overall shape and down feathers provide insulation.
Like their reptile ancestors, birds lay eggs; like mammals,
birds are warm-blooded and have a four-chambered heart.
The bird skeleton is adapted for flight with lightweight
bones that have a sponge-like interior.
Bird Adaptations
An adaptation is an evolutionary process whereby an organism becomes increasingly well
-suited to living in a particular
habitat. Adaptations are
changes that occur over many,
many generations. Adaptations
occur through natural selection. Bird beak adaptations
Organisms that have features— www.wings.avkids.com
better-suited to their habitats—will survive over successive
generations, while those that are not well-suited to the environment will not survive. Surviving species will then reproduce, producing more individuals within the population that
have the same, favorable features for survival. Over many
generations, more and more of the individuals within the
species will have the favored features until eventually all
individuals have them.
Adaptations are many and
varied, but they are generally
grouped into three main categories: physical, behavioral,
and physiological
adaptations.
Bird feet adaptations
www.wings.avkids.com
Physical adaptations are changes to the bodily features of an organism. These features include characteristics you can see, i.e., its shape or body covering, as
well as its internal organization. Physical adaptations
can occur in populations over many generations.
Behavioral adaptations are learned or inherited actions and manners that help organisms survive. Behavioral adaptations can occur in populations within one or
a few generations.
This brochure is funded with qualified outer continental shelf oil
and gas revenues by the Coastal Impact Assistance Program,
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the
Interior through a grant award to the Mississippi Department of
Marine Resources.
Physiological adaptations relate to how an organism’s
metabolism functions. These adaptations enable the
organism to regulate its bodily function, i.e., breathing,
temperature, and excreting chemicals (as a defense
mechanism). Physiological adaptations can occur in
populations over many generations.
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Bird Migration
Nest Ecology
Migration is the seasonal movement of animals from
one habitat to another. Animals migrate between their
wintering and breeding habitats. Some animals that
commonly migrate are: whales, fish, butterflies, turtles, and of course birds. Some animals travel incredible distances on these annual journeys. Migrating
birds follow established migratory routes.
www.montanapictures.net
A nest is a structure made by birds to hold eggs and to
provide protection and shelter. There is great diversity
in the types of nests that birds build and where they are
placed, each suited to a particular habitat or reproductive requirements. Nests are comprised of various
kinds of organic materials including twigs, grass, lichens (an organism composed of fungus and alga),
leaves, or similar
items. Inorganic
materials are also
used including
rope, wire, tinfoil, plastic, ribbon, and manufactured timber.
The nesting habits of each species have evolved over the ages and are complementary to the climate, habitat, size, threat by predators,
clutch (number of eggs) size, longevity, physiological,
and chick development patterns. Nests can be on barren or vegetated ground, in trees, in marshes, or on
other structures. Nests may contain only a single egg to
more than a dozen. Once laid, the egg must be incubated, and a warm temperature must be maintained to
promote embryo development. This places a burden
on the parent or parents, who must devote hours, even
days and weeks, to sitting relatively still. Though the
number of eggs in a clutch varies relatively among
species, each species seems to follow one or two laying
patterns.
Egg- Laying Patterns
Determinate layers almost always lay the same
number of eggs per clutch. For some birds with
long lifespans, the full clutch is only a single egg.
Indeterminate layers are species capable of laying
more eggs if they lose any of their eggs, until a full
set (a number typical of each species) is in the
clutch. Experiments document that when eggs are
removed from the nest before the full clutch is
present, the bird will keep replacing them.
Bird Categories
The following is a list of birds commonly seen on the
Mississippi Gulf Coast, categorized in groups by their
physical adaptations:
Flyers: Birds that are known to have strong wings, good
eyesight, sharp beaks, and sharp talons...
(e.g. Hawks, Eagles, and Ospreys).
www.nathistoc.bio.uci.edu
Waders: Birds that are known to have long, thin legs;
long, thin beaks; and long, thin necks...
(e.g. Herons, Egrets, and Cranes).
www.fws.gov
Migration in North America is essentially north-south
along four major routes known as “flyways:” Pacific,
Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic. Many birds migrate between North and South America and are referred to as Neo-tropical migrants. Most of these
birds migrate 500 miles non-stop over the Gulf of
Mexico. Other birds “island-hop” down the eastern
coast of the U.S. Upon arrival in southern wintering
grounds, birds have been described as nothing more
than “feathered skeletons,” having depleted much of
their fat and muscle reserves.
Bird Watching
Bird-watching, or birding, as it is often termed, can be
a casual activity, develop into a hobby, or become a
passion. Some observers enjoy just keeping track of
birds they observe in their daily activities or while
hiking, driving, or boating; while “birders” become
intent on seeing as many different types as possible. It
is possible to see 200 to 300 species a year in the
Southeast.
For the serious birder, at least one good field guide is
important. Binoculars are helpful, especially a closefocusing pair. A high-powered telescope with a wide
field of view, mounted on a sturdy, collapsible tripod,
is valuable for viewing harder to reach birds.
All bird enthusiasts learn to move slowly and quietly,
and avoid wearing brightly colored clothes. Respect
local laws; do not unduly frighten birds; and take great
care not to disrupt nesting or resting birds.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast offers an abundance of
bird-watching opportunities. For more information on
local birding, visit the following sites:
www.russelsastronomy.com
Swimmers: Birds that are known to have spoon-shaped
bills, webbed feet, and an oil-producing gland to protect
their feathers from getting wet...
(e.g. Ducks, Grebes, and Loons).
Did You Know?
The longest migration of any known
animal is that of the Arctic Tern,
which travels 15,000 miles from the
North Pole to the South Pole and
back again each year.
www.photos.-public-domain.com
Pascagoula River Audubon Center
http://www.pascagoulariver.audubon.org/
Mississippi Sandhill Crane Wildlife Refuge
http://www.fws.gov/mississippisandhillcrane/
Gulf Islands National Seashore
http://www.nps.gov/guis/index.htm
Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
http://grandbaynerr.org/
The Nature Conservancy
http://www.nature.org/
Land Trust of the Mississippi Coastal Plain
http://www.ltmcp.org/
REFERENCES:
Alden, P., & Nelson, G., (1999). National Audubon
Society Field to the Southeastern States. New York:
Alfred A. Knopf.
http://www.birds.com
http://www.paulnoll.com/oregon/birds/index.html
http://www.fernbank.edu/Birding/nestecology.htm