Ornthology 1400-228ORNI-OG

1. Bird systematics
Systematics of birds of the world. Characteristics of orders, classes and chosen species of birds occuring in Poland. Diagnostic features of species, habitats and biology of chosen representatives. Detailed characteristics of all families and some chosen species of Passeriformes living in Poland.
Practical training in bird identification. Appearance, silhouette, proportions, plumage colours, habitat. Diagnostic features of species. Learning to use guides for identification of birds. Individual identification of stuffed birds by each student and discussion of results by the whole group.

2. Anatomy and morphology of birds
Specific anatomy features of a bird. Skeleton, muscles, respiratory system, digestive system, senses. Morphology and types of feathers. Types of fly. Other types of moving. Anatomic and morphological adaptations of birds to life in different habitats.
Morphological adaptations of birds to their habitat and way of life. Identification of stuffed birds using guides. Discussing adaptations in anatomy and morphology in identified species (anatomy of bill, legs, wings, types of plumage, the role of colours). Defining the relation between bird anatomy and its way of life. Review of scalps of birds from various nutrition groups.

3. Analysis of plumage polymorphism in the population of Warsaw pigeon
Living in the city. What are the advantages of living in the urban habitat. Change of diet, nesting places introduced by people, predator pressure. Specifics of urban populations of birds. Wintering in the city – advantages and disadvantages.
Research project. Individual collection of data concerning plumage colours of pigeons living in various districts of Warsaw. Problems of isolation of resident birds populations and the effect of founder. Genetic variability, gene flow and isolation effect in populations of birds living in fragmented habitats and in urban populations. Verification of bird systematic. Presentation and discussion of results.

4. The ways of feeding
Kinds of food. Feeding adaptations – varieties in bill forms. Foraging behaviour. Optimalization of getting food. Individual and group foraging. Competition, using tools. Specifics of digestion.
Feeding adaptations - varieties in bill forms of stuffed birds. Overview of birds skulls belonging to different food groups.

5. Migration of birds - resident and migrating species
Preparing for winter. Migration routes. Threats during migrations. Theories concerning ways of bird orientation during migration. Strategies of wintering – resident species, nomadic, long distance migrants, record holders. Adaptations to migration. Bird ringing.
Elaboration of migration routes for chosen bird species on base of data from ringing or satellite transmitters. Presentation of study results and discussion of threats during migrations. Mechanisms of climate change impact on birds and their habitat. Desynchronization of phenological events between birds and their habitat. Changes in anatomy and physiology.

6. Why do birds sing?
Song and other vocalizations. Different ways of sound emission by birds. Role of bird song and other signals. Couple forming. Birds communication in specific habitats.
Practical training in recognition of the voices of the most common birds of Poland. Methods of learning to remember bird songs.

7. Breeding biology and bird territorialism
Teritoriality – its role for individual and population. Forms of defending territory. Breeding strategies. Methods of improving male’s attractiveness and their energy costs. Sexual selection. Courting.
Using mapping method for defining the composition of breeding bird community. Defining the number of territories of particular species breeding in Morysin Reserve on the base of protocols from field studies conducted in previous years.

8. EXCURSION - to Lazienki Park
Observations of urban park birds. Resident, migrating, native, introduced, and bred species. Flying distance of urban birds. Visit to the Museum of Hunting and Horse-riding – review of the avifauna of Poland. Hunted and protected species, common birds and those threatened with extinction. Ecological groups (swimming, wading, predatory, etc.). Birds in ecosystems
Habitat selection. Bird communities. Inter- and between-species competition.

9. Nesting biology
Kinds of nests – open and hole nesting. Individual and colonial nesting. Ways of protecting nests from predators. Active defense of nest. Size of brood. Parental care. Nest parasitism.
Selection of habitat for breeding. Identification of nests and eggs. Exercise: matching bird species with typical habitats, nests and artificial nesting places (from choice provided).

10. EXCURSION - to the Zoological Garden
Birds of various zoogeographical regions. Adaptation to habitat and way of life. European Endangered Species Programme EEP. Bird ranges. Changes of bird ranges. Expanding some settlement areas and retreating from others. Synurbization process. Specificity of urban populations. Plastic and conservative species.

11. EXCURSION - to Stawy Raszynskie Reserve
Observation of waterfowl, birds of reed beds and woodland, observation of cormorant and grey heron colony. Comparison of parental care in altricial and precocial birds. The share of parential care between male and female.

12. Threats to birds in the modern world.
Contamination with microplastics, pesticides, plant protection products. Does climate change modify the biology and ecology of migratory bird species? Collisions with glazing, buildings and infrastructure within wind farms. The impact of new technologies (5G, drones) on birds and the response of birds to the lockdown.
Seminar based on scientific publications presenting data from the latest research on the subject of contemporary threats to birds. Discussion of the presented problems.

13. Parasites of birds.
Role of birds as Vectors and hosts of pathogens/parasites of medical and veterinary significance. Migrant birds as vectors of ticks and tick-borne diseases. Important zoonoses (diseases of animal origin) associated with poultry, i.e. avian Influenza, salmonellosis. Pathogens constituting avian malaria group. Psittaciformes as an example of diet influence on control of parasitic infections. Scheme of transmission in environment of important avian pathogens. Differentiation of common tick stages infesting birds. Identification of infection with Plasmodium/Haemoproteus in birds.

14. Protection of birds
Species recently extinct and endangered. Reasons of threats and methods of counteraction. Main scientific projects realised in Poland aiming at protection and increasing number of species threatened with extinction. Species of different protection status. Comparison of bird communities observed during field studies. Classification of found species according to category of number (e.g.: common, extremely rare, etc.) and threat (e.g.: threatened with extinction, rare, etc.). Discussion concerning threats and bird protection in local and global scale.
Forms of helping birds. Organizations working for bird protection. Artificial nesting spots – boxes, platforms, etc. Feeding birds in winter. Institutions giving birds in bad condition professional help. Nestlings rescue.

15. Written test