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AVES is the latin name of the scientific class [grouping] which classifies birds. Birds (class Aves) are bipedal, warm-blooded, vertebrate animals that lay eggs. There are around 10,000 living species inhabiting ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. All birds have forelimbs modified as wings and most can fly, with some exceptions including ratites, penguins, and a number of diverse endemic island species. Birds figure prominently in all aspects of human culture from religion to poetry to popular music. About 120-130 species have become extinct as a result of human activity since the 17th century, and hundreds more before then. Learning about birds is easier than you might think. with a little help and the multitude of resources available, bird watchers can quickly become adept at their identification skills, and knowledge of birds.
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Singing Wings -
Class: AVES 101
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Thursday, 18 September 2008 10:09 |
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The link to the following chart lists the 99 best birds to know for beginning bird watchers. This list is specific to species that reside, or migrate through Southwest Minnesota. It is meant to give beginning birders a starting point for what birds to study when just starting out. 99 BEST BIRDS TO KNOW |
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Singing Wings -
Class: AVES 101
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Selecting a bird feeder should be an easy task, however, there are an increasing number of choices of feeders, and many companies are designing feeders to "attract" a specific species. To complicate matters, an increasing variety of choices of bird feed are commercially available. Feeling the burden of too many choices? The chart accessible from the link below outlines the more common backyard birds, when seed preferences they tend to have, and the best way to offer that seed for each species. BIRD FEED CHART |
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Singing Wings -
Class: AVES 101
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Bird identification appears overwhelming when considering the hundreds of species that reside in our region alone! However, we can simplify matters a great deal by first identifying to what family the unknown bird resides. The chart accessible through the link below gives cues as to what general characteristics to look for in each bird family. This can go a long way to minimizing the amount of time needed to identify a bird, as well as help to sharpen your identification skills by practicing looking for specific characteristics. BIRD FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS |
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Singing Wings -
Class: AVES 101
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Taking field notes is the best way toward identifying individuals birds that are not yet known to you. By taking notes using a journal or sheet of paper you can avoid wasting time flipping through a buir field guide, and acan maximize the amount of time you have to spend looking at, appreciating, or studying the bird. A very important aspect since some birds are only going to give you a second or two to view them before flying off. The following charts provide both simplified, and detailed outlines for taking notes of field characteristics. These are just samples of how to take notes, but can help you on your way to developing your own method. QUICK NOTES SHEET DETAILED NOTES SHEET |
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Singing Wings -
Class: AVES 101
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Bird identification often takes place in poor light conditions. Even in poor light, the silhouette of the bird can give cues by focusing in on size and shape. This is especially true with birds in flight. Some species are so distinct in their flight shape that they can be confidently identified. The following two charts are useful especially when viewing raptors in flight. Clicking on the link will open up in a new window. These files are in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. FLIGHT SHAPE: RAPTORS FLIGHT SHAPE: OTHER BIRDS |
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