Chapter 1

What distinguishes birds from other vertebrates (p.4)? What are some of the adaptations for flight found in birds (p.4-9; Fig. 1.3)? How are the feet of arboreal species designed for gripping branches (p.7-8; Fig. 1-5)? What is adaptive radiation (p.9)? What is natural selection (p.19)?

Chapter 2

What group did birds evolve from (p.26)? What characteristics do birds & modern reptiles share (p.26-27; Fig. 2-2)? What are the primary characteristics of Archaeopteryx (p.29-31; Fig. 2-5)? Why was the discovery of Archaeopteryx a timely discovery (p.31)? What are the 2 alternative theories for the origin of birds (p.31-32)? Be able to describe the 2 theories concerning the evolution of flight (p.40-41).

Chapter 3

What is a species (p.52)? What are the two principal ways by which bird populations become geographically isolated (p.52-53)? What are conservative characters & why are they of greatest value (p.58)? What 2 major revolutions that started in the 1970s have infused new vigor into the analysis of evolutionary relationships among birds (p.61)? Based on DNA analysis, which groups of birds are firmly positioned as being among the oldest modern birds (p.72)?
 

Chapter 4

What are feathers mainly composed of (p.79)? Know the primary features of a typical body feather: calamus, rachis, vane, barbs, barbules, hooklet (barbicel) (p.80-82; Fig. 4-1). How do desert sandgrouse cary water (Box 4-1, p. 82)? What is a plumulaceous texture, pennaceous structure (p.82)? What is an afterfeather & what is its primary function (p.82)? What functions do flight feathers primarily serve (p.83)? What are remiges, coverts (p.83)? What are primaries (p.83)? How many primaries do most birds have (p.84)? What 2 specialized structural features produce the silent flight of owls (p.84)? Where do the secondaries attach and what is their function (p.85)? What are rectrices and how many are usually present (p.85)? What are the rectrices attached to (p.85)? What is(are) the function(s) of the rectrices (p.85-87)? What are the characteristics of a down feather (p.87)? What is the function of down feathers (p.87)? What are the characteristics of semiplumes (p.87)? What are the functions of semiplumes (p.87)? Know the material in Box 4-3 (p.87). What are the characteristics of filoplumes & what is(are) their function(s) (p.87-88)? What are the characteristics of bristles & what is(are) their function(s) (p.88-89)? What are the 3 major categories of feather pigments & what colors do they produce (p.94)? What functions do melanin perform (p.94-95)? Where do birds obtain carotenoids and what is the function of this pigments (p.95)? Know the material in Box 4-4 (p.95). What are structural colors (p.97)? What are pterylae, apteria (p.101)? How many major feather tracts are there (p.101)? What are the possible advantages/functions of apteria (p.102)? What is the uropygial gland, where is it located, what does it secrete, & what is the function of these secretions (p.102)? Why do birds preen (p.104)? What is the first role of bird color patterns (p.106)? What is disruptive coloration and what is a classic example of such coloration (p.106)? When do adult birds typically molt (p.109)? How can the feathers of birds that retain their plumage a full year change in appearance (p.109)? What is the "basic" plumage, "alternate" plumage (p.110)? Why are multiple molts advantageous for some birds (p.111)?

Chapter 5

What is lift, thrust, drag (p.116)? How do airfoils produce lift (p.117)? What is the Bernoulli principle (p.117)? What is now thought to be the primary function of the wing as an airfoil (p.118)? How does angle of attack affect lift (p.118)? What is the function of the alula (p.119 & Fig. 5-5 on p.121)? What is the minimum power speed (p.122 and Fig. 5-6 on p. 121)? Know the material in Box 5-2 (p.123). What is the simplest form of flight (p.124)? What are the two principal ways that soaring birds take advantage of rising air (p.124)? What is thermal soaring (p.124; Fig. 5-7)? What is slope soaring (p.125)? What determines the energetic cost of flight (p.131)? What is wing loading (p.131)? What are uncinate processes & what is their function (p.134)? What is the relationship between keel size and flying ability (p.134)? What are the components of the pectoral girdle (p.134)? What is the furcula & what is its function (p.134; Box 5-3)? What are the 2 major flight muscles (p.136)? Where do these muscles originate, insert (p.136)? What action is caused by contraction of the pectoral muscle, supracoracoideus muscles (p.136)? What is the triosseal canal & what passes through it (p.136)? Why is the supracoracoideus relatively large in hummingbirds & penguins (p.136)? Know the characteristics of and differences between red muscle fibers & white muscle fibers (p.136-137). If flight and mobility are so clearly advantageous, why are some birds flightless (p.137)? What is the first sign of reduced flight ability (p.138)? What are some other routes to flightlessness (p.138-139)?

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