CITI TRAINING FINAL TEST 2026
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Definition of a Bird.
Answer: Today: any animal with feathersPrehistoric: not JUST animals with
feathers
◍ Why birds?.
Answer: Economic value: trillion dollar industry1 in 4 Americans is a
birdwatcherPoultry industryPeople like birdsPeople can relate to birdsBirds
fly
◍ Definition of a bird.
Answer: - All feathered animals- Warm Blooded- Hollow Bones
◍ Reasons for the lack of bird fossils.
Answer: - Their remains are scattered because, as prey animals, their
remains can end up scattered and further scavenged by other animals- Bones
are porous and small in size- Fossils are usually found near volcanoes
◍ How are fossils dated?.
Answer: Stratigraphy: studying how deeply a fossil is buried in the rock
strataRadioisotope dating
◍ Archaeopteryx.
Answer: - It was the size of a pigeon, tooth jawed, and had wing like
feathers similar to the modern day bird- From the Jurassic Period, 150
million years ago- First fossil animal with feathers- Had a long bony tail
blooded- Hollow bones
◍ lack of bird fossils.
, Answer: bones are porous, thin, and small in sizebecause they are prey
animals, remains can end up scattered and scavenged by other animals
◍ Archaeopteryx.
Answer: About the size of a pigeon w/ a long bony tail, toothed jaw, and
wing flight feathers appeared similar to those of modern day birdsFound in
the Solnhofen limestone quarry in Bavaria
◍ fact that cladistics are not static, relationships change as new fossils are
found characteristics of theropod dinosaurs.
Answer: Cladistics: identifying shared derived characters among
organismsThomas Huxley: 1st note similarities between birds and dinosaurs
- birds and theropods are closely relatedJohn Ostrom: birds were descended
from theropod dinosaurs based on similarities between morphological
features
◍ Confuciusornis.
Answer: - Based on fossil evidence it is the first bird with a horny beak-
Lived 120-125 million years ago- Had pygostyle (bone that supports tail
feathers) and long, central tail feathers - Likely a glider, limited flight
capability
◍ The evolutionary advantages (functions) for the development of feathers.
Answer: Insulation - Thermoregulatory control of body
temperatureCamouflage and/or social signaling - Feathers contained
melanosomes ( Pigmented color and iridescence)-- Tail feathers to display
sexual dimorphism and/or anti-predator defense mechanism (stress induced
shedding of tail feathers)
◍ Arboreal (origin of flight).
Answer: Lived in trees and stared flying by gliding down from branch to
branch or tree to tree
◍ Cursorial (origin of flight).
Answer: Implies that basal bird species ran along the ground with their
forearms outstretched for balance as they pursued prey or ran from
, predators. Forearms covered with feathers would have increased lift, and as
these feathers grew longer and stronger, more lift would have been
generated until the animal was off the ground
◍ 5 characteristics of a theropod dinosaur that are similar to modern birds.
Answer: 1. hollow bones2. hands with only 3 fingers (would fuse to be
less)3. fused clavicles forming wishbones4. laid eggs in nests (some)5.
Some slept with head under the wing6. bipedal with an upright stance, but
held their back horizontally
◍ Convergent evolution.
Answer: - When two unrelated species end up looking the same physically-
can obscure true evolutionary unrelatedness
◍ Confuciusornis.
Answer: Oldest bird known to have a horny beakWas likely a glider
◍ T/F: Galloanserae is an order within Neoaves.
Answer: False: Galloanserae and Neoaves are subdivides of the group
Neognathae.
◍ # of recognized birds.
Answer: 10,052
◍ # of bird species currently considered threatened.
Answer: 1,253 -- add up the critically endangered, endangered, and
vulnerable
◍ Ornithurines give rise to modern birds with modern birds arising in the last 5
million years..
Answer: Ornithurines includes all modern birds:even more advanced flight
capabilitieshad a deep keel extending along the full length of the sternum
◍ Repercussions of reduced bird numbers (name 2).
Answer: - Indicates degration of original habitat- Rodent populations swell-
Decrease in carcass clean up (increase disease)- Less seed dispersal and
poor germination rates- More crop damage (due to more insects)-
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Definition of a Bird.
Answer: Today: any animal with feathersPrehistoric: not JUST animals with
feathers
◍ Why birds?.
Answer: Economic value: trillion dollar industry1 in 4 Americans is a
birdwatcherPoultry industryPeople like birdsPeople can relate to birdsBirds
fly
◍ Definition of a bird.
Answer: - All feathered animals- Warm Blooded- Hollow Bones
◍ Reasons for the lack of bird fossils.
Answer: - Their remains are scattered because, as prey animals, their
remains can end up scattered and further scavenged by other animals- Bones
are porous and small in size- Fossils are usually found near volcanoes
◍ How are fossils dated?.
Answer: Stratigraphy: studying how deeply a fossil is buried in the rock
strataRadioisotope dating
◍ Archaeopteryx.
Answer: - It was the size of a pigeon, tooth jawed, and had wing like
feathers similar to the modern day bird- From the Jurassic Period, 150
million years ago- First fossil animal with feathers- Had a long bony tail
blooded- Hollow bones
◍ lack of bird fossils.
, Answer: bones are porous, thin, and small in sizebecause they are prey
animals, remains can end up scattered and scavenged by other animals
◍ Archaeopteryx.
Answer: About the size of a pigeon w/ a long bony tail, toothed jaw, and
wing flight feathers appeared similar to those of modern day birdsFound in
the Solnhofen limestone quarry in Bavaria
◍ fact that cladistics are not static, relationships change as new fossils are
found characteristics of theropod dinosaurs.
Answer: Cladistics: identifying shared derived characters among
organismsThomas Huxley: 1st note similarities between birds and dinosaurs
- birds and theropods are closely relatedJohn Ostrom: birds were descended
from theropod dinosaurs based on similarities between morphological
features
◍ Confuciusornis.
Answer: - Based on fossil evidence it is the first bird with a horny beak-
Lived 120-125 million years ago- Had pygostyle (bone that supports tail
feathers) and long, central tail feathers - Likely a glider, limited flight
capability
◍ The evolutionary advantages (functions) for the development of feathers.
Answer: Insulation - Thermoregulatory control of body
temperatureCamouflage and/or social signaling - Feathers contained
melanosomes ( Pigmented color and iridescence)-- Tail feathers to display
sexual dimorphism and/or anti-predator defense mechanism (stress induced
shedding of tail feathers)
◍ Arboreal (origin of flight).
Answer: Lived in trees and stared flying by gliding down from branch to
branch or tree to tree
◍ Cursorial (origin of flight).
Answer: Implies that basal bird species ran along the ground with their
forearms outstretched for balance as they pursued prey or ran from
, predators. Forearms covered with feathers would have increased lift, and as
these feathers grew longer and stronger, more lift would have been
generated until the animal was off the ground
◍ 5 characteristics of a theropod dinosaur that are similar to modern birds.
Answer: 1. hollow bones2. hands with only 3 fingers (would fuse to be
less)3. fused clavicles forming wishbones4. laid eggs in nests (some)5.
Some slept with head under the wing6. bipedal with an upright stance, but
held their back horizontally
◍ Convergent evolution.
Answer: - When two unrelated species end up looking the same physically-
can obscure true evolutionary unrelatedness
◍ Confuciusornis.
Answer: Oldest bird known to have a horny beakWas likely a glider
◍ T/F: Galloanserae is an order within Neoaves.
Answer: False: Galloanserae and Neoaves are subdivides of the group
Neognathae.
◍ # of recognized birds.
Answer: 10,052
◍ # of bird species currently considered threatened.
Answer: 1,253 -- add up the critically endangered, endangered, and
vulnerable
◍ Ornithurines give rise to modern birds with modern birds arising in the last 5
million years..
Answer: Ornithurines includes all modern birds:even more advanced flight
capabilitieshad a deep keel extending along the full length of the sternum
◍ Repercussions of reduced bird numbers (name 2).
Answer: - Indicates degration of original habitat- Rodent populations swell-
Decrease in carcass clean up (increase disease)- Less seed dispersal and
poor germination rates- More crop damage (due to more insects)-
