Family Life

Reproduction Courtship- male bird’s attempt to attract a mate Appearance Song Dance Bird Courtship Dance http://www.dawn-productions.com/videos/beautiful-bird-mating-dance/ Birds of Paradise mating dance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L54bxmZy_NE Prairie Chicken mating dance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2_wdMmEupQ

Reproduction Oviparous Internal fertilization Amniotic eggs Mostly yolk, which is coated in a protein containing substance, the egg white, called albumen Thick spiral fibers of the albumen called chalazae keep the yolk suspended in the center Encased in hard shell by special glands in the oviduct

Nests Flamingo- large volcano shaped mud mound Grebe- floating raftlike nest Woodpeckers- cavities in the tree Weaverbirds- intricate ball shaped nest, hangs from thin branches Hornbills- hollow tree, covers hole with clay and debris Emperor penguin- male holds egg on feet and covers it with a fold of skin to incubate Cowbird- lays its eggs in the nest of other birds, host parent takes care of cowbird Emperor Penguins http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-U8h1SCDbU

Chicks Altricial- usually hatch in less than two weeks and emerge from eggs naked, blind, & helpless. Parents care for until grow feathers. Robins, sparrow Precocial- have longer incubation periods, some as long as a month. When hatched, young are well developed and able to move and feed themselves. Ducks, quail, water birds

Migration Nearly half of all bird species in the Northern Hemisphere travel south in winter and north in summer Enables birds to live year-round in warm climates where food remains abundant enough to supply their enormous needs Provides the best possible environment for raising young Inborn instinct