Course Description
The ecological and physiological bases underlying complex avian behaviors such as mate choice, aggressive interactions, parental care, migration, and seasonality.
Athena Title
AVI BIO AND BEHAV
Prerequisite
POUL 1010 or BIOL 1107-1107L or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
An introduction to avian physiology, ecology and behavior. The objective is to generate an interest in avian biology and behavior, to illustrate how simple behavioral observations are to be approached in an experimental context, and to introduce students to primary literature. To make this course applicable to Poultry Science majors as well, many of the behavioral topics will contain a poultry aspect, particularly how knowledge of avian social behavior can be applied towards poultry breeding practices.
Topical Outline
I. Introduction to birds - comparative anatomy II. Introduction to field experiments III. Physiological and energetic constraints IV. Circadian rhythms and seasonality V. Migration VI. Introduction to bird behavior VII. Introduction to Darwinian fitness, natural selection, sexual selection VIII. Reproductive Behavior - Mating Systems IX. Mate choice X. Sperm Competition XI. Bird coloration and ornamentation XII. Vocal behavior - bird song XIII. Parental care XIV. Aggression and Territoriality XV. Sperm storage and competition XVI. Physiological underpinnings of avian behavior - energetics XVII. Physiological underpinnings of avian behavior - endocrine correlates XVIII. The ecology of birds
Syllabus