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Learn About Birds

Explore Bird Species

Category: Bird Anatomy

Bird Feet: Zygodactyl

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Kayla Fisk

Not all bird feet are alike, even toe shape and placement can vary. One example of different toe alignment seen in birds is being zygodactyl, where two toes face forward and the other two face backwards. This can be seen in species such as woodpeckers, parrots and owls. This arrangement of toes is perfect for…

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Bird Anatomy: Gonys

Posted on January 4, 2023January 4, 2023 by Kayla Fisk

A bird’s beak can have different components to it depending on the species or bird family.  On gull species, where the two lateral plates of the lower mandible connect towards the tip of the beak form a ridge or bulge called the gonydeal expansion. This bulge also causes a bump out on the lower mandible…

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Bird Anatomy: Beak

Posted on December 15, 2022December 16, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

In a previous blog post I went over some of the many different shapes a bird’s beak may have and how they are adapted to their diet, but I never went over what parts of a bird’s beak actually are. They are an important part of the topography of a bird and to truly appreciate…

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Growing Up Bird: Eggs

Posted on December 3, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

Bird eggs are a very unique period in a bird’s life. They, like birds, come in a wide variety of colors and shapes. They have their own unique adaptations to give them the best chance of making it to hatching. The egg shell’s purpose is to be strong enough to protect the baby birds growing…

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Dimorphism: Age

Posted on August 19, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

When you think of a species, most often a single visage of a species comes to mind. I say bald eagle for example, and the image of a large bird with a dark brown body, white head and tail, orange beak and piercing yellow eyes. But birds don’t generally look exactly the same as they…

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Term: Dihedral

Posted on April 29, 2022September 12, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

One of the more common large birds you may see overhead throughout North America is the turkey vulture, especially in the spring as they migrate in large numbers northward. One of their features to help identify them when they are in flight, even if they are at a great distance away, is their flight style….

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Bird Adaptations: Ocelli

Posted on April 16, 2022September 12, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

While out hiking in a field, you spot a little american kestrel in a telephone wire. Its back is to you and you notice an interesting pattern on the back of its head, which appears to resemble eyes. These feather patterns aren’t eyes though, they are called ocelli, or false eye spots. This adaptation can…

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Bird Anatomy: Nictitating Membrane

Posted on April 8, 2022September 12, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

For birds to survive, they need keen eyesight, to find food, to navigate their environment, find a mate and avoiding becoming something else’s meal. So it is critical to protect their eyes, especially when flying through the air and through vegetation where there is an increased risk of something hitting their eyes and causing abrasions….

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Bird Anatomy: Supraorbital Ridge

Posted on March 18, 2022September 12, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

Birds of prey have excellent vision, they need it to be able to see prey from perched in a tree or soaring high above the ground. Though, something can get in the way of their vision, making it difficult to clearly see, especially when out in the open, and that is the sun. Many times…

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Bird Anatomy: Lamellae

Posted on March 5, 2022September 12, 2022 by Kayla Fisk

If you look at the bills of some duck species, you may see it lined with fine comb-like structures. These little projections are called lamellae and are made of keratin. These slightly flexible structures are used to filter and strain food from mud or water. These structures will be seen mostly in dabbling ducks along…

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