What types of birds are monogamous?

How many species are in the family Paradisaeidae?

The family Paradisaeidae comprises 17 genera and 42 species that are divided into two subfamilies: three species of wide-gaped (Cnemophilinae) and 39 species of typical (Paradisaeinae) birds of paradise. The Cnemophilinae consist of two polygynous Cnemophilus and one little known Loboparadisea species.

What does it mean for a bird to be easily distinguished?

In basic terms, it means that a male of a species is easily distinguished from a female. In birds this usually means differences in size or in plumage. It can also be noted in behavior differences and other traits.

What is the class of bird-of-Paradise?

Bird-of-paradise Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Superfamily: Corvoidea Family: Paradisaeidae Vigors, 1825 7 more rows

How are passerine families related to each other?

In many cases, passerine families were grouped together on the basis of morphological similarities that, it is now believed, are the result of convergent evolution, not a close genetic relationship.

Is there a phylogenetic hypothesis for passerine birds?

“A phylogenetic hypothesis for passerine birds: taxonomic and biogeographic implications of an analysis of nuclear DNA sequence data” (PDF). Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 269 (1488): 295–308. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2001.1883.

What is the most diverse group of passerines?

A highly diverse group of global distribution, but most plentiful in the Australasian region and surroundings. The oldest truly globally successful group of passerines, they include among them what may well be the most intelligent and the most spectacular of the order. Chaetopidae: rockjumpers.

Do all birds lay eggs in their own nests?

Not all birds lay eggs in their own nests or even raise their own chicks. The incubation period for eggs can vary greatly, ranging from just 10-11 days for many small passerines to 60-85 days for larger birds.

What type of eggs do passerines lay?

Eggs and nests. Hence, the chicks require extensive parental care. Most passerines lay coloured eggs, in contrast with nonpasserines, most of whose eggs are white except in some ground-nesting groups such as Charadriiformes and nightjars, where camouflage is necessary, and in some parasitic cuckoos, which match the passerine host’s egg.

What is pterylosis in birds?

Pterylosis or the feather tracts in a typical passerine. Most passerines are smaller than typical members of other avian orders. The heaviest and altogether largest passerines are the thick-billed raven and the larger races of common raven, each exceeding 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) and 70 cm (28 in).

Why do passerines have 12 feathers on their tail feathers?

This enables passerines to sleep while perching without falling off. Most passerine birds have 12 tail feathers but the superb lyrebird has 16, and several spinetails in the family Furnariidae have 10, 8, or even 6, as is the case of Des Murs’s wiretail.

Where are the rectrices of a chicken’s tail feathers attached?

These feathers lie in a single horizontal row on the rear margin of the anatomic tail. Only the central pair are attached (via ligaments) to the tail bones; the remaining rectrices are embedded into the rectricial bulbs, complex structures of fat and muscle that surround those bones.

What do passerine birds have in common?

The most prominent characteristic shared by all passerine birds is the anisodactyl arrangement of toes: three toes facing forward and one backward, which allows the bird to easily cling to both horizontal and nearly vertical perches, including branches and tree trunks.

What are papillae in birds?

A small, epidermis-lined pit in the skin of a bird from which a feather grows and to which it remains attached. Small bumps covering the surface of the skin during embryonic development. They consist of a core of dermis and a covering of epidermis, and each will eventually form an embryonic feather. Also simply called papillae.

What are the pterylae of a bird?

The pterylae have been named by pterylologists; for example, the pteryla capitalis refers to the feathers on the head. However, the wide variation among species means that the study of this avian feature is itself a science. The edges of the pterylae can serve as useful surgical landmarks.

What is the meaning of pterylosis?

Definition of pterylosis. : the arrangement of feathers in definite areas of growth birds … at least three years old judging from the pterylosis of the head — American Midland Naturalist.

How do passerines hold onto trees and rocks?

This means that passerines can easily hold onto trees or rocks. Because of this, they are also known as perching birds. A tendon in the rear of the leg makes the foot curl and grip when the bird lands on a branch. This is more than just a convenience for the birds: it is a tendon locking mechanism so they can sleep without falling off.

What is the meaning of pennaceous feathers?

A classification term for pennaceous feathers (aka contour feathers) that clothe the outside of a bird’s body.

What are the pterylae of a chicken called?

The principal pterylae (feather tracts) of the chicken. Within each species, apteria separate the pterylae in a predictable pattern. The pterylae have been named by pterylologists; for example, the pteryla capitalis refers to the feathers on the head.

Where does the sequence of pterylae begin and end?

The sequence of pterylae starts with the wing feathers and spreads to the body and ends at the neck and head. In fowls, the moult is a seasonal occurrence in autumn.

What is an example of a dermal papilla?

These papillae contain cells that help grow hair. Other animals also have dermal papillae. In birds, for example, feathers grow from cells in the dermal papillae. The bumps you can see on your tongue, including some that hold taste buds, are another kind of papilla.

What is the papillae crest?

(Lucas 1895) The Papillae Crest is the name given to the V-shaped row of conical papillae that point backwards towards the throat and is located between the body and root of the tongue. It is present in many birds such as geese, quail, birds of prey, terns, nutcrackers, etc.

What causes papillomas in birds?

There are a couple of types of papillomas in birds, both benign and malignant: As noted above, papillomas (also known as warts) are generally caused by a virus called the papillomavirus of which its family has many members.

What is the function of the papillae in birds?

Jackowiak 2011) The papillae vary in shape and size (Figure 4 and Figure 5) and are useful in keeping food on the tongue, holding onto food, or moving towards the esophagus. (Iwasaki 2002) Most birds have rear-directed papillae, usually near the root, that helps them to swallow food.

What are the passerine birds called?

A few of the many birds in the passerine order are crows, finches, flycatchers, nightingales, swallows, tanagers, vireos, shrikes, wrens, and warblers. They are sometimes called “perching birds” and (less accurately) “song birds.”

What are the Passeriformes?

The Passeriformes, or perching birds, represent almost two-thirds of all bird species. For this reason, the order is treated here only to (traditionally conceived) family-level: