Marine BirdsMarine Birds

Kingdom: Kingdom: AnimaliaAnimaliaPhylum: ChordataPhylum: ChordataSubphylum: VertebrataSubphylum: VertebrataClass: Class: AvesAves

Birds are vertebrates with feathers, modified for Birds are vertebrates with feathers, modified for flight and for active metabolism. Birds are a flight and for active metabolism. Birds are a monophyletic lineage, evolved once from a monophyletic lineage, evolved once from a common ancestor, and all birds are related common ancestor, and all birds are related through that common origin. There are a few through that common origin. There are a few kinds of birds that don't fly, but their ancestors kinds of birds that don't fly, but their ancestors did, and these birds have secondarily lost the did, and these birds have secondarily lost the ability to fly. Modern birds have traits related to ability to fly. Modern birds have traits related to hot metabolism, and to flight:hot metabolism, and to flight:

horny beak, no teeth horny beak, no teeth large muscular stomach large muscular stomach feathers feathers large yolked, hard-shelled eggs. The large yolked, hard-shelled eggs. The

parent bird provides extensive care of the parent bird provides extensive care of the young until it is grown, or gets some young until it is grown, or gets some other bird to look after the young. other bird to look after the young.

strong skeleton strong skeleton

Marine birds do not get wet when they Marine birds do not get wet when they enter the water.enter the water.

preening gland secretes waxes and fats preening gland secretes waxes and fats that a bird spreads throughout its that a bird spreads throughout its feathersfeathers

Birds also have powderBirds also have powder downs, special downs, special feathers made of keratin that break into feathers made of keratin that break into small dust-like pieces. small dust-like pieces.

This dust is spread throughout the This dust is spread throughout the feathers, aids in waterproofing the birdfeathers, aids in waterproofing the bird

Many marine birds have salt glands. Many marine birds have salt glands. Because ocean-bound birds often have Because ocean-bound birds often have

no choice but to drink salt waterno choice but to drink salt water . The majority of the fresh water that . The majority of the fresh water that

marine birds need comes from their prey. marine birds need comes from their prey.

Differences in bill Differences in bill dimensions influence dimensions influence the rate at which food the rate at which food can be eaten. can be eaten.

PelicanPelican

pouch between the branches of the lower pouch between the branches of the lower mandible that they use to capture fishmandible that they use to capture fish

Pelicans dive and scoop fish up in their Pelicans dive and scoop fish up in their

pouched bills and drain the water before pouched bills and drain the water before swallowing their catch. swallowing their catch.

CormorantsCormorants

pursue fish under water, seizing their pursue fish under water, seizing their prey with their hooked bills prey with their hooked bills

AnhingasAnhingas

spear their fish—snake bird spear their fish—snake bird

Frigate birdsFrigate birds

steal food from other fish-eating birds. steal food from other fish-eating birds.

Flamingos Flamingos

have beak lamellae that filter small have beak lamellae that filter small organisms out of the water. They can eat organisms out of the water. They can eat small invertebrates and even blue green small invertebrates and even blue green algae algae

What else does this?What else does this?

Black skimmersBlack skimmers

skim the surface of the water to catch skim the surface of the water to catch fish. fish.

PenguinsPenguins

dive to great depths to get their mealsdive to great depths to get their meals

terns and gullsterns and gulls

will drop from a vantage point in the sky will drop from a vantage point in the sky to catch a fish near the ocean’s surface. to catch a fish near the ocean’s surface.

Tube nosed birdsTube nosed birds

have great noses for smelling food have great noses for smelling food

AlbatrossAlbatross

ShearwatersShearwaters

petrels petrels

Leg and feet typesLeg and feet types

There are several lengths of legs and There are several lengths of legs and types of feet found on sea birds. Those types of feet found on sea birds. Those birds that spend most of their time on the birds that spend most of their time on the ocean usually have short, stocky legs ocean usually have short, stocky legs and palmate or totipalmate feet (partially and palmate or totipalmate feet (partially webbed or totally webbed). The short webbed or totally webbed). The short legs work well as "oars" and the webbed legs work well as "oars" and the webbed feet work great as the paddle at the end feet work great as the paddle at the end of the oar. of the oar.

Birds that do a lot of swimming have counter Birds that do a lot of swimming have counter current exchange in their feet and legs. current exchange in their feet and legs. Because ocean water can be very cold and Because ocean water can be very cold and even damaging after extended exposure, even damaging after extended exposure, marine birds need to compensate for the fact marine birds need to compensate for the fact that a lot of heat is lost through their feet to the that a lot of heat is lost through their feet to the surrounding water. Birds use counter current surrounding water. Birds use counter current exchange to warm the cold blood returning exchange to warm the cold blood returning from the feet back up. from the feet back up.

marinebirds, play an essential, and often marinebirds, play an essential, and often overlooked role in the ecosystem. They overlooked role in the ecosystem. They help to keep the ecosystem at a natural help to keep the ecosystem at a natural equilibrium state by helping to consume equilibrium state by helping to consume the large population of fish in the oceans the large population of fish in the oceans and lakes, are able to assist in the and lakes, are able to assist in the dispersal of seeds to new environments, dispersal of seeds to new environments,

examples of humans examples of humans disturbing their disturbing their environmentenvironment

loss of habitat because of human loss of habitat because of human invasion invasion

by-catchby-catch oil spills oil spills disturbed migration patterns disturbed migration patterns loss of predatory instincts loss of predatory instincts

BycatchBycatch

Oil spillsOil spills