Alfred Hitchcocks The Birds Discussing the Origin of

Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” Discussing the Origin of Birds Suu Zhou, Andy Gomez, Victor Garcia, Mona Moshfegh AP Biology Period 4

Background Information ❖ Birds are descendants of theropod dinosaurs. ❖ Charles Darwin suggested that all species are descended with modification from other species. ❖ Fossils often have features that are intermediate between those of an ancestral form and its descendants. ❖ These fossils help us understand how different groups of organisms living today are related.

Summary ● The origin of birds is a topic of great controversy in the ornithopaleontological community ● Most dinosaurs do not resemble birds, but upon the discovery of the archaeopteryx, the shared features were evident ● There are other traits in dinosaurs that are in birds, which shows how birds are descended from the dinosaurs. ● Only the more birdlike dinosaurs (theropods) survived the mass extinction ● Birds are the modern dinosaurs

Key Concept: Species Descend From Other Species The Archaeopteryx ● Archaeopteryx fossils show that both living birds and living reptiles are related. ● The distinct birdlike features are clear in the wings, feathers, and digits ● Archaeopteryx is an ancestor of birds

Key Concept: Shared Anatomical Features Bones and Traits of Theropods ● Wishbones ● Feathers (even if not for flying) ● Hollow bones ● Anatomical structure

Discussion -Did birds evolve from dinosaurs? What kind of dinosaurs? -What similarities do birds have with dinosaurs? Point 1

Discussion Point 1 (cont. ) -Birds evolved from theropods, which are dinosaurs that have two legs and three toes, as well as hollow bones. -Dinosaurs and birds share many physical characteristics such as bone structure and feathers

Discussion Point 2 In the video, Dr. Clarke says, “It was long assumed that feathers evolved for flight. But. . . clearly, feathers predate flight and arose for some other purpose. ” ● Why is this significant? ● What caused the first feathers to appear? ● Why did the feather trait become more common? ● Did the feathers let them fly immediately, or did flight take a while to evolve?

Discussion Point 2 (cont. ) ● Feathers were not developed solely for flight ● Mutation (a random process) caused the first feathers to appear ● Feathers might be beneficial for insulation or communication ● Flight was not immediate and the feathers gained use over time

Review Questions ON YOUR PAPER, WRITE THE ANSWER!~ 1. What caused the first feathers to appear? 2. Does having feathers mean you can fly? 3. What traits does the T-Rex share with the chicken? ��

ANSWERS 1. Mutations 2. Not necessarily 3. Anatomical structures, such as Wishbones and Hollow bones

Thanks for listening!