Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Paleognathes 2!

Order Casuariformes:

-       Have distinctive mirror feathers 

Family Dromiceidae:

-       Emus

-       Females are larger

-       Australia

-       Fruit eating and insectivorous

-       Some pairs are formed

 

 





Order Casuariformes:

-       Have distinctive mirror feathers

Family Casuariidae:

-       Cassowaries

-       Australia and Tropical New Zealand

-       3 toes, 58 kg.

-       eat vegetation and fruits

-       very low vocalizations (like rumbling feathers)

-       hypothesis that their unique crown is a resonating device

-       first digit is a super-sharp claw







Order Apterygiformes:

-       Kiwis! New Guinea and Australia

-       Noctural burrowing small birds

-       Nostrils near the tip of the beak – better for foraging and smell

-       Sensory feathers around the beak area

-       Endangered by mammals – massive protection programs in New Zealand now

-       Lay largest egg for its body size of any bird





Order Aepyornithiformes: 
Elephant Birds 
-Madagascar 
-1000 pounds of bird, driven extinct by human hunting
-egg is the largest single cell known - equivalent of 183 chicken eggs 
-colonial beach nesters 

Order Rheiformes:

-      -    2 species of Rhea

-      -   In the S. American Andes

-           They eat Insects and vegitation

-           11-18 eggs per clutch

-            polyandrous






Order Dinornithiformes:

-       Moas

-       Extinct New Zealand ratites

-       Up to 10 foot holes

-       5 genera, 10 species, lived 1000 years ago

-       probably extinct due to humans reaching islands

-       extreme sexual size dimorphism (males are much larger)


Order Apterygiformes:

-       Kiwis! New Guinea and Australia

-       Noctural burrowing small birds

-       Nostrils near the tip of the beak – better for foraging and smell

-       Sensory feathers around the beak area

-       Endangered by mammals – massive protection programs in New Zealand now

-       Lay largest egg for its body size of any bird

Order Casuariformes:

-       Have distinctive mirror feathers

Family Casuariidae:

-       Cassowaries

-       Australia and Tropical New Zealand

-       3 toes, 58 kg.

-       eat vegetation and fruits

-       very low vocalizations (like rumbling feathers)

-       hypothesis that their unique crown is a resonating device

-       first digit is a super-sharp claw

Family Dromiceidae:

-       Emus

-       Females are larger

-       Australia

-       Fruit eating and insectivorous

-       Some pairs are formed

 

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