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BIOL 543:
ORNITHOLOGY
Lecture: Tuesday and Thursday 10:30-11:20 am,
Ackert 116
Laboratory: Tuesday 7:30-10:30 am, Ackert 112
Instructor: Brett K. Sandercock, Ackert 203, (532-0120, bsanderc@ksu.edu) |
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Course Description:
Welcome to the study of avian biology! Ornithology is a
3-credit course with 2 lectures and 1 lab per week. The lecture component
of this course offers a survey of the evolution, morphology, behaviour and
reproductive biology of birds (Class Aves). Labs will include study of
prepared skins, dissections and field trips in the local area. Students
will gain skills in field identification, and will be expected to learn
the taxonomy and natural history of the avifauna of Kansas. Each student
will complete a research paper on an ornithological topic of their choice.
Enrollment in BIOL 543 requires BIOL 201 Organismic Biology as a
prerequisite. Note that one other
ornithology courses is available during the Spring semester: Biol 222 Field
Ornithology. Follow the links or see the course
schedule for more details.
Texts
1. Gill, Frank B. 1994. Ornithology, 2nd edition. W H Freeman and Co.,
New York. (ISBN: 0-7167-2415-4, Required).
2. Ehrlich, Paul R., Davis S. Dobkin and Darryl Wheye. 1988. The
Birder’s Handbook. Simon and Schuster/Fireside Books, New York.
(ISBN 0-671-65989-8, Required).
ONE copy of any recent field guide, the
following are the best available
3. Sibley, David A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds (Audubon Society
Nature Guides Series). Alfred A. Knopf. (ISBN: 0-6794-5122-6).
4. Fitzpatrick, J. 2002. National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds
of North America (4th edition). National Geographic Society (ISBN:
0-7922-6877-6).
5. Kaufman, Kenn. 2000. Focus Guide to the Birds of North America.
Houghton Mifflin Co. (ISBN: 0-3959-6464-4).
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Breakdown of Marks
Lecture Exams (2)
Lab Exams (3)
Research Topic and Paper
Participation in Field Trips
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Marks
60 marks each
30 marks each
5 and 70 marks
15 marks
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% of Final Grade
40%
30%
25%
5%
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SPRING SYLLABUS |
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Adobe Acrobat Reader is required
to view the PDF files in the schedule |
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Date |
Topic |
Handouts (K-State Online) |
| Lec 1 |
Introduction to birds |
syllabus2004.pdf,
researchtopic.pdf,
taxonomy.pdf |
| Lab 1 |
Topography and taxonomy
Skins: Waterfowl and upland gamebirds |
station1.pdf,
topography.pdf,
gamebird.pdf |
| Lec
2 |
Origins of birds |
origins.pdf,
prum.pdf
(the textbook is out of date, read the excellent essay by Rick Prum if you
want to learn more about this topic) |
| Lec
3 |
Avian taxonomy and systematics |
systematics.pdf |
| Lab 2 |
Wings, feathers and plumages
Skins: waterbirds and raptors |
station2.pdf,
feather.pdf,
waterbird.pdf |
| Lec 4 |
Feathers and molt |
feathermolt.pdf |
| Lec 5 |
Adaptations for flight |
flight.pdf |
| Lab 3 |
Skeleton, skulls and feet
Skins: Shorebirds and gulls |
station3.pdf,
skeleton.pdf,
shorebird.pdf |
| Lec 6 |
Digestion, circulation and respiration |
digestion.pdf |
| Lec 7 |
Thermoregulation and lipid metabolism
Research topic due |
metabolism.pdf |
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Lab exam 1 |
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| Lec 8 |
Vision |
vision.pdf |
| Lec 9 |
Hearing, smell, taste and mechanoreception |
hearing.pdf |
| Lab 4 |
Field trip: vocalizations of
wintering birds |
kansaslist.pdf |
| Lec 10 |
Foraging behavior |
foraging.pdf |
| Lec 11 |
Visual communication |
visual.pdf |
| Lab 5 |
Anatomy of birds: Rock Dove dissection |
dissection.pdf |
| Lec 12 |
Vocal communication |
vocal.pdf |
| Lec 13 |
Migration |
migration.pdf |
| Lab 6 |
Patterns of migration
Skins: Doves, owls and woodpeckers
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station6.pdf,
route.pdf,
nonpasserine.pdf |
| Lec 14 |
Orientation and navigation
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navigation.pdf |
| Lec 15 |
Social behavior |
social.pdf |
| Lab 7 |
Review lab
Skins: Flycatchers, shrikes, vireos and jays |
suboscine.pdf |
| Lec 16 |
Mating systems |
mating.pdf |
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Midterm lecture exam |
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Spring break |
No classes this week |
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Spring break |
No classes this week |
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Lab exam 2 |
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| Lec 17 |
Sperm competition |
spermcomp.pdf |
| Lec 18 |
Evolution of sexual size dimorphism |
dimorphism.pdf |
| Lab 8 |
Field trip: Spring migration |
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| Lec 19 |
Seasonality of breeding |
season.pdf |
| Lec 20 |
Egg production |
egg.pdf |
| Lab 9 |
Field trip: Prairie chickens
Skins: Larks to waxwings |
passerida1.pdf |
| Lec 21 |
Nests and incubation |
nest.pdf |
| Lec 22 |
Development and growth of avian young |
development.pdf |
| Lab 10 |
Field trip: Prairie chickens
Skins: Larks to waxwings
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same handouts as lab
9
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| Lec 23 |
Parental care
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parentalcare.pdf
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| Lec 24 |
Nest parasitism |
parasitism.pdf |
| Lab 11 |
Nests, eggs and chicks
Skins: Warblers, tanagers and blackbirds |
station11.pdf,
passerida2.pdf |
| Lec 25 |
Demography |
demography.pdf |
| Lec 26 |
Population dynamics |
population.pdf |
| Lab 12 |
Review lab
Skins: Sparrows, buntings and finches |
passerida3.pdf |
| Lec 27 |
Species concepts |
species.pdf |
| Lec 28 |
Community ecology |
community.pdf |
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Lab exam 3 |
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| Lec 29 |
Avian extinction |
extinction.pdf |
| Lec 30 |
Conservation of grassland birds
Research paper due |
grassland.pdf |
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Final lecture exam |
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