FUNKY CHICKENS. ENVIRONMENT Copy and Paste your Environment’s Descriptive Paragraph here

FUNKY CHICKENS

ENVIRONMENT

Copy and Paste your Environment’s Descriptive Paragraph here

Temperature

Is this a biotic or abiotic factor?

Is it seasonal?

Relate the temperatures to when it feels like that temperature here in PA (ex. If your temperature is 60 degrees year round you can say that is like a cool summer day here)

ADAPTATION

How does your bird survive the temperature/seasons?

Precipitation

Is this a biotic or abiotic factor?

Is it seasonal?

Relate the amount of precipitation to something we can visualize. Like if your area experiences desert like precipitation, then describe that as how often it can expect to rain. It rains approximately once every X number of days.

ADAPTATION

How does your bird survive on the amount of water available?

How does your bird obtain water?

Does it have a specialized beak that allows it to drink?

Does your bird store water?

Does your bird have to rely on vegetation for a water source?

Are their dangers of the water available (toxic, etc.)

Nesting

What materials are available for nesting?

Where does your bird nest?

ADAPTATION

How does the bird make a nest and protect the eggs and young?

How does your bird create the nest?

Digs a hole, grasps twigs with talons, stacks rocks, etc.

FOOD

What food is available in your area (NOT JUST FOR YOUR BIRD!)

Create a food web and place your bird in the web

Select on food chain from your huge food web and create an energy pyramid and place your bird on it

Is your bird a:

heterotroph or an autotroph?

Herbivore, omnivore, carnivore?

Scavenger?

ADAPTATION

How does your bird get food?

What adaptation makes it most fit for this food source?

How does it catch its food if necessary?

How does it eat it?

Does it store its food?

Etc.

Predators

What can kill your bird?

Why does it kill your bird (territory, food, etc.)

Describe the predator in detail- does it fly faster? Does it run fast? Is it very quiet or camouflaged to allow it to sneak up on your bird?

ADAPTATION

What defenses does your bird have against this predator?

How does the bird evade, hide, or combat predators or infections?

Mating

How plentiful is your species?

Is your bird sexual or asexual?

If sexual:

What season does it mate during?

What gender initiates?

ADAPTATION

What does your bird do to attract a mate?

Does it have a mating dance?

Is it brightly colored (is this an advantage? Wouldn’t this make them more visible to predators??)

Are their difference between genders as far as appearance?

Etc.

COMPETITION

What does your bird compete over?

Who does it compete with?

ADAPTATION

How does the bird compete with other animals for food or space?

ANYTHING ELSE?

EVERY SINGLE THING ON YOUR BIRD HAS TO HAVE A REASON…

Is there an adaptation you have included besides the ones that were necessary?

If so, what are they?

Why?

STOP HERE- YOU ONLY NEED TO INCLUDE THE LOCATION YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN ALL previous slides are outlines of ones you need to include, however

from here on out, you do not need to copy these.

Location Location Location!

Mrs. Musetti will assign your group a location where the bird that you will build lives. Read the description of the environment and think about what kind of body characteristics may benefit your bird.

Bird #1 Environment: Hot and Dry

This desert ecosystem has plenty of sun, but little rain. The high temperature of this environment makes it difficult for most organisms to be active during the day. The vegetation consists of cacti. The only food is the nectar in the cactus as well as tiny beetles that scurry across the desert floor quickly and hide under rocks. This bird is threatened by snakes that not only eat adults, but also preys on the small chicks and eggs. Water holes are few but wrought with predators.

Bird #2 Environment: Seaside This shore bird eats small snails and clams during low tide. Food is

plentiful. The problems these birds have are trying to crack open the hard shells and wading through the changing ocean waves to find the food. Eating certain kinds of shellfish causes this bird to turn unusual colors making them easily seen by predators such as birds of prey. Rodents who find homes digging in the sand make a feast over eggs they come across. Finding freshwater to drink can also be difficult in the summer when it has not rained.

Bird #3 Environment: Tropical Rainforest

This bird is at home in the trees. With a variety of seeds and nuts available, the only thing this bird needs to do is crack open the shells. Large snakes and lizards prey on these birds. A problem this bird faces is competition over nesting space in the forest canopy. Water collects as small puddles on leaves that layer the forest floor.

Bird #4 Environment: Tundra: Icy and Bare

This bird lives in mostly cold snowy ecosystems with no trees. Most of the year, snow and ice cover this harsh land. If nutritious seeds are to be found under the snow they must be dug with the feet or beak. In the short summer, only moss, grasses and a few small shrubs pop up around the landscape. Fox are common predators but they can be outfoxed by speed or trickery. Keeping eggs warm in this environment takes skill and the only source of water to be had must first be melted.

Bird #5 Environment: Stream Fast moving stream water provides plenty of oxygen for many fish

and underwater insects. However, it is difficult to swim or walk upstream. The air temperature is mile but the water is cold so having insulation to keep warm in water is a great advantage. This bird nests in dead trees that hang over the stream. Snakes and hawks are predators of this bird. Overhanging trees are scarce and prime habitat for other bird species, mostly ducks.

Bird #6 Environment: Grasslands In the grasslands, winters are snowy and cold, summers are hot and

dry. Organisms in this environment must cope with the seasonal temperatures. There are plenty of grass seeds and insects to eat from spring to fall. Hiding spaces for nesting is also plentiful. However, winter is harsh. Starvation and predation from fox are threats mostly in the winter months. Many pools of freshwater spring up from the ground except in the very dry summer months. The competition over watering holes in these months is intense. Water snakes guard the water pools looking for easy prey and often can snatch young chicks at these pools.

Bird #7 Environment: Caves

This bird thrives in complete darkness. Worms, beetles, and grubs that crawl on the cave floor are prime sources for nutrients and protein. The cave is chilly with dripping water from the cave roof and winds blowing in and out. Water trickles throughout in the cave from ground water, creating small streams. Predators include vampire bats and snakes. The accumulation of bat guano droppings create potentially toxic fumes and can lead to bacterial infections. Eggs are laid on the cave rocks and keeping them warm is difficult because nesting material is limited.

Bird #8 Environment: Seaside Cliff Vegetation is sporadic, but this bird does not eat fruits or seeds. This bird is a

champion diver for fish. There are few predators on land but diving hawks can snatch an adult out of the air so you need to be streamline and acrobatic while flying through the sky. The ability to carve out a nestling ledge on the rocky sea cliff is imperative or else their young, unable to fly, could fall off the steep cliffs to the sharp rocks and crashing waves below. You are surrounded by water but unable to drink it as is due to its high salinity (salt content) and must find a way to filter it.

Bird #9 Environment: Savanna Hot climate divided into wet and dry seasons. The savanna has tall

grasses and low trees and shrubs. Herbivores are plentiful. Many use stripes and coloration to blend in with their surroundings. Hyenas and Lions scavenge for even the smallest meals. Water can be scarce but eating enough vegetation helps with hydration.

Bird #10 Environment: Outa this world With no gravity your organism will need to eat as many woorley

bumbles as it can to incorporate their gravity defying blood into your system. Woorley bumbles are small and tumble along quite quickly which makes them hard to catch with little mobility due to lack of gravity. Ninjaplumps make easy prey of all organisms as they are able to maintain balance and agility so organisms must find a way to evade this predator. Hydration can be obtained by metabolizing mushblooms that grow near the chemical craters. Freezing conditions make it difficult to maintain constant body temperatures and hatching of eggs. With very little nesting materials your bird will need to find a way to burrow in the dusty rocks.