The Superb bird-of-paradise is the only member in the Genus Lophorina and it part of the family Paradisaeidae commonly known as the birds-of-paradise which contains 41 species. Most of species within the Paradisaeidae family are from New Guinea and its surrounding islands [16]. An article An unexpectedly long history of sexual selection in birds-of-paradise discusses the species phylogeny examining the various species of the family and how over time they have evolved separately (Martin Irestedt,
feathers, which separates them from any other living organism. Birds also have over 10,000 species, which is about 2x more than mammal species. Furthermore, all birds lay eggs, although some are larger than others. Also, the largest group of birds are passerines or perching bird in Latin. Excluding the vestigial-winged kiwi bird, all birds have visible wings. Although nearly all birds have wings, not all can fly. Take the ostrich, the world’s biggest bird, for example. The ostrich is too heavy to fly because
space-use patterns and hippocampal size in kangaroo rats after undergoing evolution by natural selection. The size of the hippocampus, a forebrain structure that processes spatial information, correlates with the need to relocate food caches by passerine birds and with sex-specific patterns of space use in microtine rodents. The influences on hippocampal anatomy of sexual selection within species, and natural selection between species, have not yet been studied in concert, however. Here we report
The Bohemian Waxing (Bombycilla garrulus) is a medium sized passerine bird, similar in size to a Starling, that is a member of the Bombycillidae family and the Passeriformes order. The Bohemian Waxwing is often mistaken as a Cedar Waxwing; both species have overlapping ranges. To distinguish between the two species, start by analyzing their size and plumage characteristics. The Bohemian Waxwing has an overall brownish gray color with a prominent crest on top of the head. They have a black mask
larger surface area to allow the body to cool efficiently (McNab 1971). Bergmann’s rule has brought valuable insight into the study of character traits and how we identify where animals originated. One example that I came across is with the Andean passerine bird, a study was done in 1991 by G. R. Graves. He noticed the size of ...
From wind-swept seeds to efficient flight mechanism, all animals and plants have evolved a variety of dispersal abilities and have an important role in understanding species survival and evolution. Dispersal is largely driven by needs for resource acquisition particularly to seek suitable breeding habitats. Individuals dispersing between populations aid in gene spread and as such dispersal is subject to natural selection. Three main evolutionary drivers are thought to result in dispersal - habitat
range in northwestern Europe. The environment conditions including: spring vegetation in Europe, local spring temperature in northern Europe and the North Atlantic Oscillation index. The phenological data were derived from spring data on migratory passerines from various remote islands: Heligoland in the North Sea, Christians, and Jury in the Baltic Sea. A standard of 20 birds captured and observed per season at each ringing station for at least 12 years were incorporated in the research. Various species
The Canada lynx is a medium-sized cat with a fluffy facial hair, black ear tufts, large padded feet, and a short, black-tipped tail (Banfield 1974; Quinn and Parker 1987). Lynx show mild sexual dimorphism in size, males (averaging 80-90 cm long and 9-10.5 kg in weight) being 13-25% larger than females (76-84 cm long and 8-9 kg). In the north, lynx are found among the trees in Alaska, Yukon, and mainland Northwest Territories (NWT). Lynx are abundantly widespread in the North and the lynx harvest
a stick into a spear to impale its victim, then it would qualify as a tool use (Alcock, 1972). Various forms of simple spears, blades, ropes, and lures are used by a plethora of modern birds, including birds of prey, herons, owls, parrots, and passerines (van Lawick-Goodall & van Lawick-Goodall, 1966; Higuchi, 1986; Levey et al., 2004). The later group, particularly the families Corvidae (crows, magpies, jays, etc.) and Fringillidae (true finches), demonstrates the most advanced examples of tool-making
Hummingbirds have evolved certain behavioural and physical traits which allows for them to be more energetically efficient, such as specialized storage and digestion adaptations, feeding and flying adaptations and breathing adaptation. Hummingbirds are extremely small and their muscles for flight are highly oxygen-dependent and require large amounts of energy. Hummingbirds are one of the smallest endotherms and any energetic output can be metabolically stressful. The hummingbirds’ small body size
A Threat To Wildlife And Bio-Diversity Thesis Statement: The acceleration and diversification of human induced disturbances upon natural ecosystems during the past decades has contributed to wildlife habitat fragmentation. The changes in land use have driven wildlife managers to reconsider the benefits previously attributed to the Edge Effects on wildlife diversity. Habitat fragmentation has been recognized as a major threat to the survival of natural populations and to the functioning of
Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) is one of the most important and valuable timber species in the world due to its superior wood characteristics, durability, and ability to grow at high densities within inundated habitats. Bald cypress technically is not a true cypress such as those within the genus Cupressus. It is within the genus Taxodium, and family Cupressaceae (Bragg 2011). Bald Cypress is the state tree of the state of Louisiana, where the majority of the United States’ permanent swamps are