Aves ( Birds) : General Characters and Examples

 

Defination 

• Aves are class of  vertebrates that are worm blooded including bird in which fore limb are modified into wings.

General Characters 

• Body is covered by feathers. Most of birds can fly except some birds which are flight less birds.

• Fore limbs are modified into wing whereas hind limb are adapted for walking, swimming or clasping the tree branches. Hind limb have scales.

• Skin is dry  without glands. An oil gland is present only at  base of tail.

• Endoskeleton is made up of bone and fully ossified.

• Long bone is pneumatic because bone is hollow with air cavity.

• Digestive tract has two additional chamber crop and gizzard.

• Heart has four chambers. Two Atrium and two ventricles.

• They are warm blooded or homeo thermal. They maintain their body temperature .

• Respiration take place by lung. Lung are connected with air sac which are accessory respiratory organ.

• Fertilization is internal. Saxes are seprate. Development is direct and they are oviparous.

 Example of Aves

1. Corvus

• It is commonly called as House Crow.

• It is most common, most familiar and most intelligent bird.

• It's body length in 32 to 42 cm in length.

• Eyes are large. Mouth has elongated beak.

• Tail has elongated feathers.

• Neck and breast are grey.

• Feet has 3 toes in front and one toes in back and adapted for perching.

• It is omnivorous and important scavenger in nature. 

2. Psittacula

• It is commonly called as Rose ringed parakeet or Tota.

• Typical red bill is short , stout and deeply hooked.

• It's body is slender with long pointed tail.

• The black or rose pink collar is present  in male but absent in female.

• Feet are adapted for grasping.

• Fruit and ripening fruits are prominent fruit of Psittacula.

• It is a popular cage bird and can be taught to repeat  some words or sentence.

3. Columba

• It is commonly called as black  rose pigeon or Kabutar.

• Two dark bar are present on wing and one band is present across the end of tail.

• It's body length  is 32 cm or  more in length.

• Male and female are not same.

• Columba feed cereals pulses , ground nut etc.

• It is a semi domesticated animals.

4. Pavo

• It is commonly called as Peacock  or Mor in hindi. It has been selected as national bird of India.

• The gorgeous ocellated or eye train  of the cock is actually not it's tail but abnormally lengthened upper tail covert.

• It's  feet are well adapted for scratching and running. Feet are adapted for grasping.

• The feathers are with aftershaft. The bill is short. Peacock has been eyesight and hearing.

• It feed grains, vegetable but also feed insect, lizard and small snakes.

5. Struthio

• It is commonly called as Ostrich. Male ostrich is Black in color whereas female is brown.

• The head is small and bill is short. Eyes are big brown in color with black eyelashes.

• Ostrich has strong legs with two toes and used escape from predator. It can gain speed almost 80 Km per hour.

• Ostrich are omnivorous , it feed on plants and insects.

• It is a flightless birds because keel bone is absent therefore its flight muscles are not functional.

• It's leg have massive muscles so it can give serous injury after kicking.

• Ostrich spent nomadic life style and is  diurnal. It remain active at early day or evening.

5. Aptenodyte 

• It is commonly called as Penguin. It is an aquatic birds and flightless.

• Its skin has a thick layer called blubber. It act as a insulator and prevent to loss the body heat in clod climate.

• It has short feather 🪶. It also has flipper   for the swimming.

• It has strong leg with webbed feet. It also has a short tail like wedge.

• It's bill is long and thin. Its skin has salt glands.

• They are monogamous in breeding and found in herd.

6. Neophron

• It is commonly called as vulture. 

• It has long , pointed and hooked bill to tear the  piece of food.

• They have very sharp eye sight to see the food and to avoid the predator.

• They have bare head and neck to keep clean while eating.

• Vultures are carnivorous and are quite social.

• Vultures are scavenger in Ecosystem.