Course Description
Familiarizes students with avian biology, including anatomy and physiology, behavior, ecology, evolution, and conservation. Lab and field exercises will emphasize taxonomy and identification, ecology, and behavior of North American birds. A semester-long research project emphasizing experimental design and field data collection is required.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate student participation and involvement are graded more
rigorously than undergraduates. The research project required of
all students is scrutinized more heavily by instructors (and
graded more rigorously) for intellectual design, such as
hypotheses, experimental design, statistical analyses, and
writing quality. Whereby undergraduate students conduct this
project in teams, graduate students work independently. Graduate
students are additionally required to prepare material for a
verbal presentation and help lead lab field exercises.
Athena Title
Ornithology
Non-Traditional Format
Overnight field trip required.
Prerequisite
(BIOL 1104 and BIOL 1104L) or BIOL 1108-1108L or permission of school
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
To familiarize students with avian biology, including anatomy and physiology, behavior, ecology, evolution, and conservation. Lab exercises will emphasize taxonomy and identification of North American birds through use of field labs and study skins.
Topical Outline
Introduction/General avian characteristics Feathers Avian skeleton and muscles, flight physiology Digestive system and feeding Origin and evolution of birds Darwin’s finches Speciation Systematics Song & communication Annual cycles Migration & navigation Social behavior Reproduction Mating systems Habitat relationships Demography Population ecology Community ecology Tropical ornithology Agriculture and birds Forest management and birds Monitoring bird populations Avian disease issues Value of birds Partners in flight
Syllabus