Learning outcomes:
1. Connect the anatomical and physiological specificities of individual groups of birds with adaptations to their way of life
2. Explain how the types of relationships between the sexes and parental care depend on biological and ecological factors
3. Describe and provide examples to support the theory of evolution of sexual selection in birds
4. Explain the activity of limiting and regulation factors for population growth in birds
5. Describe the process of habitat selection, using the example of woodpeckers
6. Design a bird population study for different habitats using standardised methodology
Lectures:
1. Evolution of birds, systematics and birds, basic characteristics of orders of birds
2. Morphology of wings, structure and type of feathers, molting
3. Bird migrations: evolution, physiological and morphological adaptations, orientation
4. Methods of monitoring bird migrations and the application of ringing methods in ornithological research
5. Bird diets: example: seagulls
6. Bird senses: example: owls
7. Bird vocalisation, learning to sing, communication
8. Bird reproduction: types of relationships
9. Bird reproduction: young and care for offspring
10. Social behaviour of birds
11. Speciation and hybridation of birds
12. Demographics and communities in birds
13. Habitat selection, range and territorialism; example: woodpeckers
14. Endangered birds, Red List and Red Book of Birds of Croatia
15. Practical protection of birds
Practical exercises:
1. Basic characteristics of birds, basic determination of songbirds
2. Basic characteristics of birds, basic determination of other orders of birds
3. Recording morphometrics of birds, morphometric corrections
4. Recording wing formulas and calculating the wing index
5. Research and monitoring methods: mapping methods
6. Research and monitoring methods: linear transect method
7. Research and monitoring methods: point count method
8. Calculation of population density from the population index
9. Habitat sampling methods for ornithological research
10. Annual measures of bird productivity
11. Sonograms: recording bird vocalisations
12. Analysis of the content of owl pellets
13. Analysis of the content of owl pellets
14. Assessment of threat for species (methodology of drafting the Red List): introduction
15. Assessment of threat for species (methodology of drafting the Red List): application
|
- Gill, F.B. (2006): Ornithology. 3rd edition. Freeman & Co., New York, 766 str.
- Sutherland, W.J.; Newton, I., Green, R.E. (2005): Bird Ecology and Conservation. A Handbook of Techniques. Oxford., 386 str.
- Proctor, N.S., Lynch P.J. (1998): Manual of Ornithology. Avian Structure and Function. Yale Univ. Press, New Haven, 352 str.
- Tutiš, V., Kralj, J., Radović, D., Ćiković, D., Barišić, S. (2013): Crvena knjiga ugroženih ptica Hrvatske. Ministarstvo zaštite okoliša i prirode i Državni zavod za zaštitu prirode, Zagreb. 258 str.
- Kralj, J., Barišić, S., Ćiković, D., Tutiš, V. (2013): Atlas selidbe ptica Hrvatske. Hrvatska akademija znanosti i umjetnosti. Zagreb, 250 str.
|