The Thoughts of an OrnithologistWilliam Princeton(1) I’ve spotted a young female Peregrine Falcon, but cannot read the two-digit code on her vid band. Because the Peregrine travel up to 15,000 miles each year, these colored leg bands are essential to identifying and tracking the birds. This bird has fantastic markings—through my binoculars, I can clearly make out the black mustache mark common to this species. I calculate the bird’s speed to be twenty-five miles per hour—she merely coasts while monitoring the mountainside for a tasty meal. Once the predator has focused in on her prey, she dramatically descends into that spectacular hunting stoop. At this moment, she’s the fastest animal on the planet—scientists have clocked Peregrines at speeds of 200 miles per hour during this hunting dive. I’m on cloud nine as I silently observe the bird’s victory.(2) As a child, I was obsessed with the study of birds, known as ornithology. I spent every opportunity observing the birds that lived around my family’s home. Ornithology drew me in like a moth to a flame. After completing high school, I was accepted at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology where I became involved in species conservation. I spent several years color banding a wide variety of birds in California with the Fish and Wildlife Service. The banding systems allowed us to study the birds’ annual survivorship, fidelity to territory and mate, and migratory status. Years later, an acquaintance of mine from Cornell offered me a position on a team that works for the conservation of Peregrine Falcons. I’ve been fascinated by these birds ever since.(3) The Peregrine population crashed between 1950 and 1970 due to pesticides like DDT. The future of these magnificent birds remained uncertain for nearly two decades. Thanks to the diligent work of conservationists like Tom Cade, officials removed the Peregrine from the endangered species list in 1999.(4) Of course, these birds still aren’t entirely self-sufficient. The major concern is that the falcons tend to nest in urban areas because of a phenomenon called “imprinting.” Falcons often reside in habitats similar to their natal nests, or the nests where they were born. For birds bred in captivity, the site of their release is often imprinted in their brains. Early recovery efforts used skyscrapers in urban areas as release sites for the Peregrine, causing the birds to return to large cities later in life.(5) Our program has chosen to get back to nature by releasing the birds along the rock faces of the Mississippi River Valley. We are optimistic that the difference in the imprinting will encourage more falcons to nest in the wilderness. Fledgling falcons are raised in cliff-like nests constructed of real and fabricated rock, with no man-made structures in sight. When we release the birds from the bluffs of Effigy Mounds National Park, they recognize the craggy cliffs as their home.(6) Back along the cliff side, after some careful scrutiny, I’ve identified the female falcon as B/6. She has returned to her cliff nest with her prey held tightly in her talons. There appear to be young in the nest—a successful natural mating here on the rock face! This is what makes all our hard work worthwhile. The Peregrine Falcons are staging a real comeback!QuestionWhich choice best supports the claim that conditions have improved for Peregrine Falcons?ResponsesA I’m on cloud nine as I silently observe the bird’s victory.I’m on cloud nine as I silently observe the bird’s victory.B Back along the cliff side, after some careful scrutiny, I’ve identified the female falcon as B/6.Back along the cliff side, after some careful scrutiny, I’ve identified the female falcon as B/6.C The banding systems allowed us to study the birds’ annual survivorship, fidelity to territory and mate, and migratory status.The banding systems allowed us to study the birds’ annual survivorship, fidelity to territory and mate, and migratory status.D Thanks to the diligent work of conservationists like Tom Cade, officials removed the Peregrine from the endangered species list in 1999.Thanks to the diligent work of conservationists like Tom Cade, officials removed the Peregrine from the endangered species list in 1999.

Of all the animals on the planet, the peregrine falcon reaches the highest speeds. It can get to 320 km/h (nearly 90 m/s) in a dive. A particular falcon swoops down to catch a rabbit. It drops vertically from a height of 600 m to 100 m in 10 seconds.Calculate the falcon's average speed, giving units.

If these birds travel on an average speed of 350 km/ day, find out in how many days each of the species will take to complete the round trip.

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Pigeons, or rock doves, originally built their nests on rocky ridges and cliffs.Today, pigeons prefer nesting on hard surfaces like concrete, marble, and stone.Urban environments are abundant with nesting opportunities for pigeons, like AC units, fire escapes, and the tops of statues.The use of insecticides eliminated apex predators, such as falcons and hawks, that hunted pigeons in cities.The pigeon population in New York City got so large that the city hired a professional falconer in 2003 to drive them away.The student wants to make and support a generalization about pigeons. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?While pigeons originally built their nests on cliffs, they have since found an affinity for nesting on concrete, marble, and stone.eliminatePigeons thrive in urban environments because of the lack of apex predators and an opportunity to build nests in environments similar to rocky ridges and cliffs.eliminateWith the elimination of apex predators in New York City, the city hired a professional falconer in 2003 to control the pigeon population.eliminateUrban environments, which have an abundance of nesting opportunities like AC units, fire escapes, and tops of statues, are ideal for birds like pigeons. eliminateScratch BoardDo your scratch work hereClear00:09:232021222324252627

Source: US Fish and Wildlife ServiceThe first step in bird identification is learning to observe. Watch, listen, and record your observations in a journal using descriptive words and sketches, or photograph birds to capture a permanent, detailed image that you can study later.If you are just starting to watch birds, consider familiarizing yourself with the ones that you see daily. What are their general characteristics? Are they big or small, colorful or drab? Do they sit still or flit from branch to branch? Then, try comparing new birds that you see with the common birds that you already know. Is your new discovery the size of a sparrow, a robin, or a crow? Is its bill short or long, hooked or straight?Learning the basic form and structure, or morphology, of a bird will help you to make comparisons of birds. Concentrate on the shape and size of the beak, including the relative size of the upper and lower beak; length of the outer tail feathers, upper tail coverts, and throat; and the coloration of the crown and breast. It will also help you to think about the types of habitat in which you are most likely to find specific birds, since the birds that you see may be migratory and will only be in your area at a specific time of the year.Some people can identify a bird just by its song or call. Once you start to listen to the calls around you, you will start to learn them, too. Do you know any memory devices that could help you recall a song or call and identify the bird associated with it? Can you distinguish differences in rhythm, pitch, tone, and repetition?Studying the behavior of a bird is also often helpful in identifying it. Knowing characteristic bird behavior can be an important aspect of bird conservation and management, since erratic behavior can signal a stressed or unhealthy bird. Because birds move around a lot, they can be vulnerable to a variety of different threats. 6. There are many resources to help new bird watchers, or "birders," learn to identify different birds. If you are already a seasoned birder, try to find ways to encourage other people, of all ages, to get hooked on birding, and whatever resources you use to identify birds around you, just remember that the most important thing is to have fun!13Select the correct answer from the drop-down menu.What information in the text is emphasized most by the image?The image mostly emphasizes information in paragraph .Reset Next

The flight patterns of two different bird species can vary greatly. For example, a hawk will soar high in the sky and swoop down to catch its prey __________ a sparrow usually stays close to the ground and flits from tree branch to branch. Hawks have large wings with long feathers that allow them to glide through the air more easily than sparrows which have shorter, rounder wings that help them maneuver quickly between obstacles. The differences in their physical features contribute significantly to how they navigate their environment while flying.