Ornithology

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ZOOL 4408 - Ornithology - Spring 2024

 

Course website: I developed and maintain this website, which is not part of any of TTU’s third-party platforms (e.g. Blackboard, TopHat, etc.). Not using these platforms has pros and cons. I do not use one primarily because I make my teaching materials available worldwide and not just to TTU students (TTU’s third-party platforms require a TTU login whereas this website does not). Please let me know of any dead links ASAP!


Last updated: 26 January 2024
 
Materials on this website may be updated at any time, so be sure to check back prior to each class or lab session for new or updated information.

 

Lecture: Tues and Thurs, 2:30-3:50 p.m., 106 Biology Bldg.
 
Lecture professor:


 Dr. Nancy McIntyre
 420A Biology Bldg.
 Tel. (806) 834-7977

nancy.mcintyre@ttu.edu
Office hours: Wed 11:00-noon, or by appointment (call or email to set up an in-person or Zoom appointment)

 Lab: Tu / Wed / Thurs, 8:00-10:50 a.m., 406 Biology Bldg.

 Lab T.A.s:


 Hannah Girgente
Office: 419 Biology Bldg.
Office hours: by appointment


Joe Girgente

Office: 424 Biology Bldg.

Office hours: by appointment

 Expected learning outcomes: Birds have delighted and fascinated humans throughout recorded history (and presumably before). Texas has more bird species than any other U.S. state, so we will go on several local field trips to gain an appreciation for this diversity and to study birds in their natural setting. Students will study the phylogenetic origins, taxonomy, anatomy, physiology, behavior, and ecological importance of this unique, abundant, and widespread class of animals. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to identify locally abundant species by sight and sound, recognize features that allow taxonomic identification to Order (all species worldwide) and Family (local birds), understand the unique physical and behavioral traits of birds, and understand the evolutionary linkage of birds to other animals. There are required local field trips (held during lab).


Methods for assessing expected learning outcomes: (1) lecture tests, (2) “test your comprehension” in-class quizzes, (3) lab quizzes, (4) lab homework assignments, (5) lab field identification final, and (6) a cumulative final lecture exam.


Materials needed for this class:


1) Technology:

o   There are computers in the Main Library’s ATLC that you can use.

o   A limited number of laptops are available for loan from TTU’s IT Division; use your TTU email address to send an email request to verify.ithelpcentral@ttu.edu and provide your phone number, Tech ID number (R number), and equipment requested.

 

2) Recommended textbook: Gill & Prum. 2019. Ornithology (4th ed.). 

3) Required field guide: Dunn, J.L., and J. Alderfer. 2017. National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America (7th ed.). 

Good alternative field guide: The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of North America (get the 2nd printing of 2nd ed.).

  

Please note that electronic field guides (e.g. e-books or apps) are not acceptable substitutes at this time. (They are best used by more advanced birders.)

or

4) Binoculars (if you don't have your own, there are some in the lab that are available for loan).
         Shopping for binoculars? Click here for some helpful info for all price ranges.


The course grade is composed of the following:


5% on in-class (“test your comprehension”) QR quizzes

10% on exam I
 10% on exam II
 10% on exam III
 10% on exam IV
 20% on cumulative final exam – Monday, May 6, 4:30-7:00 p.m.
 35% on lab

 

The QR quizzes will be given at the end of each lecture; the QR code will lead to a Google Forms document with a short quiz over that day's material. These quizzes are designed to test your understanding of the material and to give you familiarity with the kinds of questions I will ask on exams. The QR codes will only be made available to students in class or attending synchronously online via Zoom, or those with excused absences.


Exams are typically mixed-format (i.e., short-answer questions, definitions, essays, multiple-choice, etc.). I use essay questions to gauge your depth of mastery of concepts. Your mastery should demonstrate factual knowledge as well as the ability to synthesize different but related topics. As a senior-level/graduate-level course, I expect answers to display some degree of sophistication. For example, if I were to ask for two similarities between modern birds and Archaeopteryx lithographica, an answer of "beak and wings" would be insufficient. Click here for an example of A, B, C, D, and F answers to a sample question in ornithology.


TTU’s official policies concerning academic honesty, special accommodations for students with disabilities, student absences for observance of religious holy days, and accommodations for pregnant students:  

https://www.depts.ttu.edu/tlpdc/RequiredSyllabusStatements.php

 

Absences/missed assignments: Attendance is required to all lecture and lab sessions. Make-up assignments will be given only in the event of an excused absence. Please note that more than two unexcused absences from lab will result in forfeiture of all points associated with lab. Please be advised that absences for clubs and club sports teams, even if they are recognized TTU Student Organizations, are technically considered unexcused absences as per the TTU Operating Policies and Procedures Manual 34.06. For University-approved curricular and extracurricular activities, verifiable documentation must be presented to the instructor(s) at least one week prior to the first absence; students are responsible for the material missed.

  

Topics to be covered in lecture: There are many ways to approach creating an ornithology class. The subject is too diverse for us to be able to cover everything, so I’ve chosen certain topics to be presented in a certain logical order. These topics cluster together into 5 modules: avian diversity and taxonomy, avian phylogeny and derived characteristics, flight, reproduction, and conservation. At the end of each module, there will be a test.


All of the lecture PowerPoint slides will be made available to all students through a Google Drive link (provided via email). These slides are NOT comprehensive: you should add notes of your own to them! You must download those slides to your own computer to edit them.

Lab overview: The lab will consist of a general overview of the major taxonomic groups of birds, primarily focusing on those distributed in North America. General form and function of anatomical features and identification of birds (in the lab and field) including class, order, family, and standardized common names will make up the bulk of the material. In addition, some basic natural history, behavior, and vocalizations will also be covered.

 Lab will be held in Biology 406. This is an official laboratory room, meaning that no food or drinks (even water) are allowed inside, and you must wear long pants or long skirts as well as closed-toe shoes (no sandals or flip-flops). There are some lab coats in the lab, or you may bring your own.


Because this room is officially designated by TTU's Department of Environmental Health & Safety as a laboratory, it is an area in which concealed handguns are forbidden in accordance with the Texas Penal Code, marked by signage compliant with Section 30.06. Violations of this regulation may result in legal actions in compliance with State of Texas law (Class C or Class A Misdemeanor) and/or disciplinary actions compliant with Texas Tech University operating procedures. For more information, please see http://www.depts.ttu.edu/hr/CampusCarry/.


Lab attendance: Attendance is mandatory. More than 2 unexcused absences will result in the forfeiture of all points associated with the lab. If you are unable to attend lab due to an approved excused absence, please notify your lab instructor immediately to see if you can attend the other lab section. Space is limited in lab, so DO NOT simply show up at a different lab section without having made prior arrangements and expect to be accommodated. 

 

Topics to be covered in lab: subject to change due to weather

Lab grading:

 

Lab will comprise 35% of your final course grade:

The maximum number of points, if you made a perfect score on everything, would therefore be 640 points. Your lab grade is thus simply the number of points you earned divided by 640.

 

Students’ performance will be evaluated by quizzes on lab specimens reviewed in the week(s) prior plus a field identification quiz, homework, and participation. No extra credit is available; however, there will likely be bonus questions on each weekly quiz, and the lowest specimen quiz grade will be dropped. In order to have your lowest specimen quiz grade dropped you must take all the quizzes, and quizzes 7 & 8 are exempt from the drop.

 

Bird specimens in lab: You will be given the opportunity to study birds "in the hand" by using specimens borrowed from The Museum of TTU and from the Teaching Collection. These specimens are unique, fragile, and highly valued. Many are more than 100 years old and irreplaceable. Therefore, please handle all specimens with the utmost care. You must follow these guidelines:
  -absolutely NO food or drinks are allowed in lab (this includes drinks with resealable tops and water);
  -make sure your hands are clean (there are hand-washing sinks in lab) and dry;
  -do NOT pick specimens up by the feet, tail, beak, wings, or stick (for “popsicle” birds): instead, you should gently cradle the body;
  -do NOT handle the specimens roughly;
  -place specimens down gently on their flat side (usually the back);
  -make sure that no part of the bird is hanging over the edge of the table.


Mishandling of specimens is taken very seriously and will result in the loss of points and a meeting with Dr. McIntyre (the Curator of Birds), the Director of the Natural Science Research Laboratory (natural history division of The Museum of TTU), and the Director of The Museum of TTU.


In addition, taking photos of specimens is NOT allowed.

 Lab field trips: Some labs will be held outdoors on field trips at destinations in and around the city of Lubbock. Please note the following about field trips:
 1) Be on time or we will leave without you. Meeting us at the destination in your own vehicle is not an option due to liability.
 2) Field trips will involve walking on non-paved surfaces, so wear appropriate footwear. Sandals or flip-flops are not advisable.
 3) Even though we will be outdoors, the same rules of conduct apply as if we were indoors: no idle chitchat, no phones out, etc.

4) Field trips will only be cancelled due to inclement weather (e.g. thunderstorms or dust storms); an announcement will be sent to the class via email as soon as that decision is made. Field trips will not be cancelled due to cold or hot temperatures or even light rain, so please dress appropriately.
 5) In order to identify birds in the field, you are required to bring your own field on all field trips. Students need to learn how to ID birds using their own skills and this cannot be accomplished by groups huddling around a single book. Failure to bring your field guide for a scheduled field trip will result in an unexcused absence.
 6) Disruption or lack of participation will be counted as an unexcused absence with no opportunity to make up points lost. Lack of participation is any activity that prevents you or others from participating in observing birds or listening to your instructors.
 7) We will follow the American Birding Association's Code of Birding Ethics.

 

Sounds to know for lab: Here are the bird sounds that you are required to know for lab. These are all species common in the Lubbock area (although not all species are present throughout the entire year). Most of the links below are to The Cornell Lab's All About Birds website; you'll need to scroll down and play the sound files. You'll need to have some kind of audio player software installed on your computer (like Windows Media, iTunes, Quicktime, etc.) to play the sound files. You may also wish to find other online recordings of each of these species' vocalizations (such as from xeno-canto).


Helpful links for learning to ID birds by sight and sound:



Helpful resources:

 

At the end of each chapter of your recommended textbook is a section called “Review Key Concepts” with summaries and important terms, and a section called “Apply Your Knowledge” with review questions. I will draw many test questions from here! I suggest that you look through the “Review Key Concepts” at the end of each chapter and be able to answer the questions in the “Apply Your Knowledge” section at the end of each.

 

The TTU library has many relevant books (including The Birder’s Handbook, The Encyclopedia of Birds, The Encyclopedia of North American Birds, and others) and scientific journals (Auk, Condor, Ibis, Wilson Bulletin, Journal of Field Ornithology). I recommend the following library books for greater detail about the topics we will cover in lecture and lab:


There are also countless websites devoted to birds and ornithology, including the following:


Videos/documentaries:



Keys to success in this course:


(1) This course is more than simply “bird appreciation” or bird-watching: it is a rigorous senior-level zoology course that will demand time and dedication. You should devote at least as many hours to studying each week outside of class as you spend in class.

(2) Listening is not the same thing as learning: you should be taking detailed notes during both lecture and lab (including labs in the field).

 

Miscellany:

 

Highly recommended non-technical books on birds:


Interested in attracting birds to your yard? Check out these resources: 


Get involved in "citizen science" with these free and invaluable programs:


Learn more about bird conservation:


Own a cat? Keep it indoors! Here's why:


Java junkie? The type of coffee you buy can affect birds:


A poisonous bird? What's up with that??


There's an app for that (Dr. McIntyre has several of these on her iPhone if you want to check them out):


You mean you can actually get paid to watch birds?!?


And check out these links for other career options in the environmental sciences:

 

"I hope you love birds too. It is economical. It saves going to Heaven."
 -poet Emily Dickinson


Some photos from past ornithology classes: