1. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Exotic Birds II
Dr. N. Matthew Ellinwood, D.V.M., Ph.D.
March 19, 2012
Iowa State University
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

2. Passerine Birds Perching or songbirds
Anisodactyl
One order (oscines) control syrinx muscles for song
Perching “stay” mechanism
Latin name for house sparrows (passer)
Passeriformes: half bird species
5,000 identified species

3. Passerines Common Hill Myna Omnivorous Native to Southeast Asia
(Myna – any Indian bird of the Starling family)
Omnivorous
Native to Southeast Asia
1990’s 20,000 in trade/yr
Captive bred/imported
Not endangered
Popularity

4. Finches Zebra Gouldian Finches Australian
Research, neural basis of learning
Gouldian Finches
Australian (pot 100,000 pets)
Color variants in fancy

5. Canaries Finch song bird from Madeira, Azores, Canaries
Islands named for dogs
Bred, since 1600’s for
Type
Color
Song (eg Harz Roller)
Research model of neurogenesis
Canary in the coal mine

6. Color Varieties Red Factor Many others Diet dependent Bronze
Ino, Eumo, Satinette, Bronze, Ivory, Onyx, Mosaic, and Brown

7. Body Type Usually along size UK Types Others Fife (small)
Many other varieties
Usually named for place names
UK Types
Border, Fife, Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Gloster
Others
Gibber Italicus, Raza Española, Berner, Mexicana, Australian Plainhead

8. Song Types Spanish Timbrado
German Roller (also known as "Harzer Roller” or Harz, for the Harz Mountains)
Awaterslager (aka Malinois)
American
Russian Singer
Persian Singer

9. Reptiles

10. REPTILES Taxinomic class defined by: Four orders Air breathing
Egg laying of shelled eggs
Scaled or scute covered skin/bodies
Four orders
Crocodiles
Sphenodontia (tuataras – New Zealand, resembles lizards)
Sqamata
Lizards, snakes, amphisbaenians (worm lizards)
Chelonia or Testuidines (turtles etc)

11. Chelonians Turtles Tortoises Terrapins Salmonella risks
Not just turtles, etc.

12. TURTLES spend most or all of their time in water
leatherback turtle – Dermochelys coriacea
largest turtle, endangered

13. TORTOISE spend most or all of their time on land
Aldabra tortoise – Geochelone gigantia
2nd largest tortoise, CITES protected

14. TERRAPINS Spend significant time on land and in water
American Indian word

15. TERRAPINS - Red-Eared Slider
Southern U.S.
omnivorous
75° F
Red-Eared slider – Trachemys scripta elegans

16. LIZARDS habitats - desert to marshes
diets - herbivorous, omnivorous, carnivorous, insectivorous
temperature requirements - widely varied
bottom line - do your homework

17. Iguanas Green iguana Calcium Vit D Central and South Am Up to ~ 7 feet
Lights
Central and South Am
Up to ~ 7 feet
Related
Chuckwalla
Desert Iguana

18. Anoles Small new world lizard False chamelions Green Anole
Native to USA
Cuban brown
Now in Florida
Knight Anole
18 inches

19. Skinks Small lizards Five lined skink Blue tongued skink
North America native
Blue tongued skink
Australian
Pet trade
Solomon Island giant skink
Arboreal
Largest species of skink; 28”

20. Geckos Desert to tropical Lamellated feet Nocturnal and vocal
Climbers
Nocturnal and vocal
Leopard gecko
India native
Pest control
Popular pet species
Tokay gecko
Aggressive

21. Chameleons Experienced owner only
Africa, southern Europe, Near East to south asia
Change color
Turret eyes

22. horned toad (a lizard - really!)
Phrynosoma platyrhinos –

23. TUATARAS habitat - small islands around New Zealand diet - carnivorous
temperature
~54° F
50-80 cm; up to 1 kg
living fossils

24. AMPHISBAENIANS worm lizards
Florida worm lizard – Rhineura floridana