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Ornithology
Lecture 4 March 22, 2013 Raptors Up Close

Order falcomiformes

!! Cathartidae = New World

!! Accipitridae !! Osprey !! Kites !! more to come

Vultures

!! Sagittariidae

!! Faclonidae !! Falcons !! Caracaras

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New World Vultures

7 species Related to storks

Sagittariidae
Secretary bird 1 species

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Falconidae
64 species

!! Falcons are fast

!! Caracara are un-

flying, streamlines aerialists suited for taking prey in the air

falcon like with long legs and chunky appearance

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Crested Caracara

Accipitridae

!! Osprey

!! Kites !! Brahmini Kites !! Harriers, Harrier

hawks, snake eagles

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Osprey

!! 1 species, found around the

world

Kites

!! Sea and fish eagles

!! Palm nut vulture

!! Old world vultures !! Brahminy Kites

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Kites also break off into

!! Snake Eagles

!! Harrier-hawks

!! Harriers

Harriers

!! Accipiters !! Harpy eagles !! Sup buteos !! Buteos !! Booted eagles

!! Chanting Goshawks

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The way we really look at it

! ! ! ! ! !

Kites Hawks accipiters and buteos Eagles Falcons Vultures Owls

Kites
Slim, buoyant, relatively light bodied raptors

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Accipiters
Mainly forest raptors, built for dash and grab style of hunting

Eagles
Named because of size, not taxonomic relationship

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Falcons
Long winged and tailed, similar to kites but with greater power

Harriers
Peculiar facial disk reminiscent of owls

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Osprey
Long crooked wings held in a shallow M shape. Soles of its feet are covered with spicules

Old world vultures

Much closer related to hawks similarities in behavior and form to new world vultures is an example of convergent evolution

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New world vultures

Highly developed sense of smell with perforated nares Includes condors too!

Owl
Typical Owls Strigiformes

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Owls
Tytonidiae Barn owls

RAPTOR

!! Raptus is the Latin for "seized !! From rapere "to seize !! Refers to the category of bird birds of prey.

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Adaptations to focus on
What makes a hunting bird a raptor or bird of prey

!! Eyes !! Beak !! Feet

The Raptor Eye

Diurnal Vs Nocturnal

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Diurnal
!! Diurnal raptors can only see about twice the

distance as humans !! The definition in which raptors see is about 4 times better. Humans see between 18-19 images per second while raptors see between 80-90 images per second !! Some raptors like the kestrels can see ultra violet !! Diurnal raptors have 2 fovea essentially giving them 2 focal points. !! Diurnal raptors eyes move about 2 degrees

Nocturnal Raptor Eyes

Anatomy and function of the owl eye

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!! Owls can see any where from

100 -300 times better than humans at night !! They have voluntary

control of their pupils

!! Each pupil can react

independently !! Owl eyes dont move at all

Owl Eye, again

!! binocular !! monocular

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180 270
http:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=EsKUdg2DC0M

Nictitating membrane
The third eye lid

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The nose knows all, speak beak

diurnal nocturnal

Walk a mile in someone elses shoes or feet

Diurnal Owls and Osprey

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Strength
Average human man can squeeze 50 lbs per square inch

Great horned owl can squeeze 300 lbs per square inch

Tendon locking

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Other Senses were missing

!! Hearing !! Smell !! Taste

Hearing
All raptors have a higher flicker fusion frequency The Owls however are the most extreme

!! Asymmetrical

placement
!! Facial disk !! Down facing beak !! Tightly packed feathers !! Ear flap to close off ear

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Shhhh I hear something

What it really looks like

Look closely you can see the back and side of the eyeball

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Smell and the TUVU

Most birds dont have a highly developed sense of smell in our area the turkey vulture is the exception

Taste?
Great question

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Missing anything?
More time for question and discussion on anatomy and physiology

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