Growth development Opisthocomiformes formerly Cuculiformes 1 species

Growth & development Opisthocomiformes (formerly Cuculiformes) 1 species Hoatzin

Crocodillians & the ontogenetic spectrum Precocial to altricial continium (Nidifugous to nidicolus)

Precocial (10% of species) • Shorebirds, ducks, chickens • Self-feeding • Able to regulate Tb • Independent • The ancestral condition

Altricial (78% of species) • Embryonic, eyes closed, naked • Total dependence, derived condition

Gill’s classification of ontogenetic type % of Species 10 12 78

Superprecocial Megapodes (mound builders) & Black-headed Duck Total independence

Superprecocial Malleefowl

Precocial Ducks, shorebirds, quail, grouse, murrelets

Precocial % of Species 10 12 78 Leave nest immediately (nidifugous), find own food (although parents “show” food in some species), thermoregulate, albeit imperfectly in some

Precocial Rock Sandpiper Ruddy Turnstone

Precocial Day-old Bobwhite Quail Blue Grouse chick

Subprecocial Loons, cranes, rails & grebes

Subprecocial % of Species 10 12 78 Leave nest immediately (nidifigous) and follow parents, are fed directly by parents

Clapper Rail

Blue Crane

Sandhill Crane

Semiprecocial Gulls, terns, auks, petrels & penguins

Semiprecocial % of Species 10 12 78 Able to walk but stay in nest (nidicolous), regulate Tb, fed by parents

Semiprecocial Gull chicks

Semiprecocial Wilson’s Storm Petrel

Semialtricial SA 1 Herons & hawks SA 2 Owls

Semialtricial % of Species 10 12 78 Unable to walk*, stay in nest (nidicolous), fed by parents, brooded at first

Semialtricial 1 (eyes open) Least Bittern

Semialtricial 2 (eyes closed) Snowy Owl

Altricial Songbirds, pigeons, parrots & woodpeckers

Altricial % of Species 10 12 78 Embryonic, totally dependent on parents

Altricial Swift

All gut, no brain

Diet-ontogentic link Altricials eat foods that require skill to obtain Precocials feed on small inverts and seeds

Brown Creeper Least Tern Ruddy Duck Malleefowl Kiwi

Semiprecocial

Altricials

Temperature regulation

* * Semiprecocial

Thermoregulatory Index The % of adult Tb-Ta gradient maintained following 30 -min exposure to 20ºC

Thermoregulatory Index Body temp Gradient Start Adult Chick End Tb-Ta 40ºC 22ºC 20ºC 2ºC Chick’s 2ºC gradient is 10% of the adult’s gradient

House Martin House Sparrow

Growth & development • Ontogenetic types • Diet-ontogenetic link • Growth rate patterns • Tissue maturity of chicks • Egg contents