Adaptive radiations and the evolution of modern birds -

I.                    Classic examples

a.      New Zealand – (video)

b.      Hawaii, Galapagos Islands

c.      Australia

d.      Madagascar

II.                 Historical background

a.      1st birds ca. 150-170 Mybp

b.      Miocene epoch ca. 20 MYbp - flowering plants/insects/passerines

III.               Passeriformes - Perching birds

a.      ca. 5,700 spp. in 1,161 genera.

b.      Land birds (but dippers)-mostly small

c.      Worldwide, except Antarctica

d.      Monophyletic (explain)

                                                               i.      distinctive palate

                                                             ii.      unique oil glands

                                                            iii.      spermatazoa - “corkscrew”

                                                           iv.      fore- and hindlimb muscles

                                                             v.      large, flexible hind toe (halux)

e.      other generalizations (Any of these key in rapid evolution?):

                                                               i.      many “ant”

                                                             ii.      brain large/behavioral plasticity

                                                            iii.      metabolic rate high

                                                           iv.      repeated cases of convergent evolution - not unexpected with 5700 species.

f.        Suboscines - Sibley & Ahlquist’s suborder Tyrannini - 15 families, 2-300 genera, 1,100 species

                                                               i.      syringeal muscles unique and simpler than oscines

                                                             ii.      few other defining characteristics

                                                            iii.      song is innate, not learned or modified.

                                                           iv.      mostly new world (tyrant flycatchers) or neotropical, but                                     also New Zealand, & rest of tropics.

                                                             v.      Two major adaptive radiations of suboscines:

1.      Tyrannidae, Cotingidae and  Pipridae

a.       Tyrannidae – Tyrant flycatchers (NC family)

b.      ca 100 genera, >400 spp

c.       distinguished by syrinx, skull and tarsus;

d.      mostly insectivorous, but some quite frugivorous

2.      Ovenbirds, woodcreepers, and antbirds (Furnariidae, Dendrocolaptidae, Formicariidae, Thamnophilidae)

g.      Oscines

                                                               i.      more complex syrinx

                                                             ii.      4,500 spp.

                                                            iii.      learn vocalizations

                                                           iv.      Crows & Cia. - ca. 30 families, > 1,000 spp

1.      May be the most evolutionarily advanced

2.      Most intelligent- Jays & nutcrackers stash food

3.      Complex social behavior - helpers at nest Scrub Jays

4.      Important families

a.       Irenidae - Fairy bluebirds – zoo

b.      Birds of Paradise & Bowerbirds

c.       Laniidae – shrikes

d.      Vireonidae – Vireos

e.       Corvidae - jays and crows.           

f.        Australian radiation - compare to marsupials & Eucalyptus

                                                             v.      Thrush relatives - 7 families -ca. 100 genera, >400 spp

1.      The renowned songsters, vast vocal repetoires

2.      Mostly insectivores and frugivores

3.      Often flock in non-breeding season

4.      Important families

a.       Bombycillidae (waxwings)– holarctic

b.      Cinclidae (Dippers) - holarctic & S.A.

c.       Muscicapidae (includes Turdidae) – Worldwide

d.      Sturnidae (starlings) - Old World

e.       Mimidae (Mimics) - New World

                                                           vi.      “Old World” Insectivores 15 families, 200 gen, >1000 spp.

1.      diverse group - common backyard birds

2.      Important families

a.       Sittidae (nuthatches)- widespread except S.A. but only 2 genera & 25 spp.

b.      Certhidae (creepers) - Holarctic & India, Africa

c.       Troglodytidae (wrens)- New World, (1 sp. Holarctic) - 16 spp, 75 spp

d.      Polioptilidae – (Gnatcatchers) New world

e.       Paridae (tits, chickadees, etc.) - Holarctic & Africa

f.        Hirundinidae (swallows) – Worldwide

g.       Sylviidae (“old world warblers) - largest family (552 spp), mostly worldwide

                                                          vii.      Weaver relatives  - ca 15-20 families (lower in AOU list), >1000 spp – worldwide

1.      Some real confusion at the family level. ABA checklist follows AOU most closely, while Gill and  Peterson follow different familial treatments – be careful of field guides that group species by appearance rather than systematics - handy for ID, but confusing when one is trying to understand systematics.

2.      diverse group, “nine-primaried” oscines

3.      seed-eating birds in 5 families! very confusing common names “finch” and “sparrow” are confusingly applied to species; grosbeaks in Fringillidae and Cardinalidae

4.      granivores, insectivores, nectarivores

5.      complex social behavior, nest structures (show weaver nests

6.      Important families:

a.       Alaudidae

b.      Passeridae - House Sparrow

c.       Emberizidae - towhees, most sparrows, juncos, some buntings

d.      * Parulidae - wood warblers

e.       * Thraupidae - 100 gen, 413 spp

f.        * Cardinalidae - saltators, cardinals,  rose breasted grosbeaks, the colorful buntings, dickcissel

g.       *  Icteridae - blackbirds

h.       Fringillidae - pine grosbeak, “red finches,” includes genus Carduelis (redpolls & siskins)

i.         Drepanididae - Hawaiian honeycreepers