Text 8: Bird Anatomy and Bird Parts

 

Birds are one of the few animals that have developed the ability to fly. Every part from the skeleton to the feathers has evolved to aid in flight. The skeleton, while using the same general design of other vertebrates has some distinct differences. The skull is very light in proportion to the rest of the body because there are no teeth for chewing, or any heavy jaw or jaw muscles. The job of grinding up food is performed by the gizzard. This means the skull is usually around 1 percent of the body weight. The bones are hollow with strut like structures inside. This makes them light while still making them strong enough for flight. The

forelimbs have developed into wings.

The wings are composed of the humerus or upper arm, and the radius or ulna, which makes up the forearm with wrist, and hand bones. The forearm supports the secondary feathers, and the fused wrist, and hand bones support the primary feathers. The joints have added strength because they have limited movement.

The skeleton has many modifications to allow birds to walk on their hind legs. The muscles have also evolved for flight. The important muscles for flight run between the upper arm, and the breast. There are two pairs of flight muscles. The larger pair called the pectoralis major contracts for the down stroke. The pectoralis minor handles the upstroke, which needs far less power.

The body is the third part of this design for flight. It is very streamlined to reduce friction. The smooth surface of the feathers reduces the friction even more.

The tail consisting entirely of feathers aids in maneuvering. The legs will usually be tucked under the body when flying so they don't affect the flight.

Beaks of birds are varied depending on the species, and are specialized for their particular diet. In most birds they are light to save weight for flight. Bird beaks are bony structures covered with keratin, much like our fingernails.

Exercises

1. Translate the following words into Russian:

Bird, develop, ability, part, skeleton, feather, evolve, aid, flight, genera, design, distinct, difference, skull, light, proportion, rest, chewing, heavy, jaw, muscles, job, grinding up, food, perform, gizzard, percent, weight, forelimb, wing, compose, humerus, upper, ulna, forearm, wrist, secondary, fused, wrist, hand, primary, joint, add, strength, limited, movement, modification, allow, walk, hind, leg, breast, pectoralis, major, contract, stroke, upstroke, power,

streamlined, reduce, friction, smooth, surface, tail, entirely, maneuvering. To be tucked, affect, beak, diet, save, fingernails.

 

2. Give Russian equivalents of the following word combinations:

The ability to fly, every part from the skeleton to the feathers, to aid in flight, some distinct differences, very light in proportion, no teeth for chewing, heavy jaw or jaw muscles, the job of grinding up food, with wrist, and hand bones, secondary feathers, primary feathers limited movement, many modifications, hind legs, important muscles for flight, between the upper arm and the breast, two pairs of flight muscles, less power, part of this design for flight, the smooth surface of the feathers, reduce the friction, beaks of birds, particular diet, to save weight for flight, bony structures, like our fingernails.

3. Put special questions to the following sentences:

1.Birds are one of the few animals that have developed the ability to fly. 2.The skull is very light in proportion to the rest of the body because there are no teeth for chewing, or any heavy jaw or jaw muscles. 3.The job of grinding up food is performed by the gizzard.4.The wings are composed of the humerus or upper arm, and the radius or ulna, which makes up the forearm with wrist, and hand bones. 5. The important muscles for flight run between the upper arm, and the breast. 6.The tail consisting entirely of feathers aids in maneuvering. 7.Bird beaks are bony structures covered with keratin, much like our fingernails.

 

4. Give the definitions:

Birds, the skeleton of birds, pectoralis, beaks of birds, the body of birds.

Retell the text

Апта

Грамматикалық материал: Direct and Indirect Speech. Sequence of Tenses Лексикалық материал: Мамандық бойынша мәтін. Text 9. Birds of prey Idiom:9.miss the boat- miss a favourable opportunity; be too late to gain an advantage; e.g. It`s too late to send in an application form now. You`ve missed the boat, I am afraid. Phrasal verb: 9. plug in – connect an electrical appliance to the electricity supply: “The fridge isn’t working because you haven’t plugged it in”.

Text 9: Birds of prey

Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh. In most cases, the females are considerably larger than the males. The term "raptor" is derived from the Latin word rapere (meaning to seize or take by force) and may refer informally to all birds of prey, or specifically to the diurnal group.

 

Taken literally the term “bird of prey” has a wide meaning that includes many birds that hunt and feed on animals and also birds that eat very small insects. In ornithology, and the definition used here, the term has a narrower meaning for birds that have very good eyesight for finding food, strong feet for holding food, and a strong curved beak for tearing flesh. Most birds of prey also have strong curved talons for catching or killing prey. Birds of prey generally prey on vertebrates, which are usually quite large relative to the size of the bird. Most also eat carrion at least occasionally and the vultures and condors eat carrion as their main food source. By way of an example, the narrower definition excludes storks and gulls, which can eat quite large fish, partly because these birds catch and kill prey entirely with their beaks, and similarly bird-eating skuas, fish-eating penguins, and vertebrate-eating kookaburras are excluded.

The diurnal birds of prey are formally classified into five families (traditionally of the order Falconiformes, a classification currently in flux):

Accipitridae: hawks, eagles, buzzards, harriers, kites and Old World vultures

Pandionidae: the Osprey (sometimes classified as subfamily Pandioninae of the previous family)

Sagittariidae: the Secretary Bird

Falconidae: falcons and caracaras

Cathartidae: New World vultures including condors.

The observation that otherwise unrelated bird groups may perform similar ecological roles and bear striking morphological similarities to one another is explained by the concept of convergent evolution.

The common names for various birds of prey are based on structure but many of the traditional names do not reflect the evolutionary relationships between the groups.

Exercises

1. Translate the following words into Russian:

Prey, primarily, keen, sense, vision, define, talon, relatively, large, powerful adapted, tearing, piercing, flesh, female, rapere, insect, ornithology, definition, eyesight, curved, beak, generally, size, carrion, occasionally, vulture, condor, feed, eat, definition, eyesight, strong, feet, holding, curved, tearing, flesh, relative, occasionally, vulture, condor, carrion, exclude, stork, and gulls, which can eat quite large fish, partly because these birds catch and entirely, similarly, bird-eating, skua, fish-eating, penguin, kookaburra, diurnal, formally, currently, accipitridae, hawk, eagle, buzzard, harrier, kite,

observation, otherwise, unrelated, perform, ecological, role, bear, striking, similarity, explain, concept, convergent, evolution, common, reflect relationship.

2. Give Russian equivalents of the following word combinations:

Birds of prey, hunt for food, primarily on the wing, especially vision, including other birds, relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing, larger than the males, specifically to the diurnal group, a wide meaning, very small insects, very good eyesight, for finding food, strong feet for holding food, strong curved beak for tearing flesh, strong curved talons, for catching or killing prey, prey on vertebrates, their main food source, storks and gulls, large fish, catch and kill prey, diurnal birds of prey, five families, unrelated bird groups, similar ecological roles, bear striking morphological, common names, various birds of prey, evolutionary relationships, between the groups.

3. Put special questions to the following sentences:

1. Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision.2.The term "raptor" is derived from the Latin word rapere and may refer informally to all birds of prey, or specifically to the diurnal group.3. Most birds of prey also have strong curved talons for catching or killing prey. Birds of prey generally prey on vertebrates, which are usually quite large relative to the size of the bird. 4.The diurnal birds of prey are formally classified into five families (traditionally of the order 5.The common names for various birds of prey are based on structure but many of the traditional names do not reflect the evolutionary relationships between the groups.

4. Give the definitions:

Birds of prey, raptor, strong curved talons of the birds.

Retell the text

Апта