Transcript cranes dump
Wetland Birds Move Over Ducks, Geese, and Swans Acknowledgement: Danny Hwang Origin of Birds Believed to have evolved from small theropod dinosaurs (Velociraptor) – Structurally Both have 3 digits Shoulder sockets similar – Behavior Incubated Nests Archaeopteryx – Earliest Bird. – Transitional species from dinosaurs to birds. – Beak with sharp teeth. – Lack of keel. Modern Bird Features Power of Flight – Keel present / Large Breast Muscle – Hollow Bones / Mass Distribution – Feathers Beak with no teeth Single bone in middle ear. Four-Chambered Heart Internal fertilization (lay eggs) Bird Taxonomy Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Class: Aves ? Superorders: Paleognathae Neognathae Superorder: Neognathae Orders: WATERFOWL – Anseriformes – Ducks, Geese, Swans NON- WATERFOWL – – – – – – – – – Gruiformes – Cranes Rallidae – Rails, Coots. Podicipediformes – Grebes Ciconiiformes – Herons Coraciiformes - Kingfishers Gaviiformes – Loons Charadriiformes - Shorebirds Falconiformes – Birds of Prey Passeriformes – Songbirds Wetland Use by Birds Wetlands are important bird habitats – – – – – Breeding Drinking Water Feeding Shelter Social Interactions What is a wetland? Area of land saturated with water for all or varying times of the year. Types of Wetlands Marshes – Tidal – Non-Tidal Wet Meadows Prairie Potholes Vernal Pools Playa Lakes Types of Wetlands Swamps – Forested Swamps Bottomland Hardwoods – Shrub Swamps Mangrove Swamps Types of Wetlands Bogs – Northern Bogs Acidic and precipitationdependent. Wetland-Dependent Birds Cranes Grebes Herons Kingfishers Loons Shorebirds Birds of Prey Songbirds Cranes Order: Gruiformes – Sandhill Crane Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) Large, long-legged and longnecked birds. Fly with necks straight. Height: 4 ft. Weight: 5-8 lbs Wing Span: Up to 6 ft. Breed in marshes and bogs around Canada, Alaska, Siberia, U.S. Forage in shallow waters Rails Order: Rallidae – King Rail – American Coot King Rail (Rallus elegans) Largest North American Rail. Permanent residents along the southeastern coasts. Migrate to southern U.S. and Mexico. Breed in marshes of eastern North America. The nest is a raised platform built with marsh vegetation and covered by a canopy. Forage in shallow water near cover and mainly eat aquatic insects and crustaceans. American Coot (Fulica americana) Scalloped toes rather than webbed. Breed in Marshes Nests are typically in tall reeds. Can dive for food but can also forage on land. Adults mostly consume "pond scum". Use a great deal of effort to become airborne, pedaling across the water with their feet before lifting off. The way in which their heads bob when they walk or swim has earned them the name "mud hen". Grebes Order: Podicipediformes – Pied-Billed Grebe Pied-Billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) Size: Small to Medium-Large. Feet placed far back on the body. Narrow wings and unusual plumage Most widespread of the North American Grebes. Found on remote ponds, marshes, and sluggish streams. The only grebe to not show a white wing patch during flight. Breeds across Canada, U.S. and South America. Rare on salt water. Eats fish, amphibians, and insects. Herons Order: Ciconiiformes – Great Blue Heron – Boat-Billed Heron – Cattle Egret Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Height: 4 ft. Wingspan: 7 ft. Weight: 6 lbs. GBH is the largest North American heron. Herons fly with their necks retracted (S-shape). Breeds in trees close to lakes and wetlands. It feeds in shallow water or at the water's edge and spears fish and amphibians with its long, sharp bill. Boat-Billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius) An atypical member of the heron family. Nocturnal Bird. Adult has a black crown, long crest and upper back. The face, throat and breast are white, and the lower underparts are rufous with black flanks. The wings and lower back are pale grey. The massive broad scoop-like bill, which gives rise to this species' name, is mainly black. Feeds on Fish, Crustaceans, Insects. Lives in mangrove swamps in Mexico/South America. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) Small white heron. Length: 1.7 ft Weight: 1.3 lbs Breeds in large wetlands of warm climate countries. Nests in colonies. Found on dry, grassy habitats, unlike other herons Feed on insects Special relationship with ruminants Kingfishers Order: Coraciiformes – Belted Kingfisher Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) Large heads, long bill, short stubby legs. Breeds near inland bodies of water or along coasts. Feed on Fish, Amphibians, Arthropods, small mammals, lizards and berries. Beat their prey to death. Migrates south to the Southern U.S., Mexico, South America. Population levels declining probably due to habitat loss. Loons Order: Gaviiformes – Common Loon – Loon vocalizations Common Loon (Gavia immer) Similar to a duck in appearance, yet unrelated. Length: Up to 3 ft. Wingspan: Up to 5 ft. Weight: Average (9lbs) Getting airborne requires water skimming. Breed in inland freshwater lakes and ponds. Can live as long as 30 years! Specialist Fish-eater. Population affected by acid rain/pollution. Migrating Common Loons occasionally land on wet highways or parking lots, mistaking them for rivers and lakes. They become stranded without a considerable amount of open water for a long takeoff. A loon may also get stranded on a pond that is too small Shorebirds Order: Charadriiformes – Greater Yellowlegs 210 species Possess sensitive nerve endings at the end of their bills, which enable them to detect prey items hidden in mud or soft soil. Feed primarily on small invertebrates. Shorebird Sounds Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca ) Large Shorebird. Long yellow legs. Breeds in bogs, marshes in the boreal forest of Canada and Alaska. Nests on the ground, usually in well-hidden locations near water. Migrate to both U.S. coasts and south to Central America. Forages in shallow water, sometimes using their bill to stir up the water. Feeds on insects and small fish, as well as crustaceans and marine worms. Birds of Prey Order: Falconiformes – Osprey Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Medium-large raptor. Length: 2 ft. Wingspan: 5-5.5 ft. Worldwide Distribution. Closable nostrils. Talons with backward facing scales. Specialist-Fish Eater Breeds by freshwater lakes and sometimes on coastal brackish waters. Nest is a large heap of sticks in trees. Will delay breeding if no nests are available. Population negatively affected by pesticides. Osprey Diving for Fish Osprey Catching Fish Songbirds Order: Passeriformes – American Dipper – Common Yellowthroat – Louisiana Waterthrush – Marsh Wren – Red-Winged Blackbird – Swamp Sparrow – Prothonotary Warbler American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) Stocky Dark Gray Bird; “water ouzel” Year-round resident in western North America. Dives and walks along the bottoms of streams to find their prey (Salmon) Indicator species of good water quality. Population affected from pollution and increased silt load in streams. Availability of nest sites (e.g., behind waterfall) may also be a factor. Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) Adults have a black face mask, brown back, yellow throat and white belly. Breeds in marshy habitats and other wet areas with dense low vegetation. Feeds on insects. Population decreasing due to loss of habitat, but still species commonly heard. Louisiana Waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla) Plain brown back and white below streaked with black . Breeds in wet woodlands near running water (forested streams). Nest in a rock crevice or amongst tree roots. Feeds on insects, molluscs, and crustaceans amongst leaf litter. Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) Breeds in marshes with tall vegetation (i.e. cattails). Nest is an oval lump attached to marsh vegetation, entered from the side. Feeds primarily on insects, but also snails and spiders. Though still common, populations are slowly declining due to loss of wetland habitats. Red-Winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) Distinctive red shoulder patch. Feed primarily on seeds, but a ¼ of their diet consists of insects, molluscs and arthropods. Very Aggressive Defenders. Prefers marshy habitats, but will nest near any body of water. Cong-a-lee!! Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) Adults have streaked rusty and black upperparts with a gray breast, light belly and a white throat . Breed in marshes, including salt marshes. The bulky nest is attached to marsh vegetation, often with leaves arching over the top. Has longer legs than other members of its genus, which allows for this songbird to forage in shallow waters. Has been seen to dabble in the water to capture aquatic invertebrates. Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) Olive back with blue-grey wings and tail, yellow underparts. Breeds in hardwood swamps in southern Canada and the eastern U.S. Cavity nester. The preferred foraging habitat is dense, woody streams. Forage actively in low foliage in wet areas. Feed mainly on insects and snails. Declining in numbers due to loss of habitat. They are also frequently victimized by the dump parasites (Brown-Headed Cowbird). Named after the officials in the Roman Catholic Church known as the protonotarii, who wore golden robes Effects of Wetland Loss on Birds Habitat Loss = Population Loss About one-third of North American bird species use wetlands for food, shelter, and or breeding (Kroodsma, 1979). About one-half of the 188 animals that are federally designated as endangered or threatened are wetland dependent (Niering, 1988). Efforts to preserve Wetlands U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Nature Conservancy National Audubon Society Summary / Conclusions Birds are fully or partiallydependent on wetlands. Birds are important to us because: – Ecologically: Birds fill a niche to maintain the health of our ecosystems – Seed Dispersal / Pollinators – Natural killers of insect and agricultural pests – Recycles nutrients/carbon – Human: Cultural Enhancements Cleans up our roads. They are finger-lickin’ GOOD! Questions?