12.12. Phainopepla nitens: Black Cardinal http://www.ck12.org
The Phainopepla have cells that divide into two ways, and those two ways are called mitosis and meiosis. There is a
difference between the two. In mitosis, the cell divides the nucleus, and each new cell contains a copy of the DNA
in the original cell. Meiosis on the other hand has the cell divide to produce gametes(ex: eggs, sperm) with one half
the chromosomes (containing DNA) of the parent cell.
Evolution
All birds overall evolved from dinosaurs. Birds probably evolved from dinosaurs called theropods, which lived
about 150 million years ago. The ancestor of birds was probably similar to a theropod called Deinonychus. Fossils
ofDeinonychuswere first identified in the 1960s. This was an extremely important find because it convinced most
scientists that birds had descended from dinosaurs.
Ecology
Black cardinals pick berries from mistletoe clusters and eat about 1,100 berries a day. They catch insects in the air
by their wings to prevent their food from escaping the beak. They can also can try to catch their food by two of them
working together. The black cardinal, like many birds, lives on trees.
The black cardinal is found in desert ecosystems. The black cardinals are primarily found in washes which are in
Pacific Southwest areas. Those areas are riparian areas and other areas that support arid scrubs. They are found in
coastal areas such as San Diego and prefer to live in oak chaparral and also riparian oak woodlands, which have
rivers or streams.
The black cardinal has a unique relationship with its main food source, mistletoe berries. Mistletoe berries are
dependent on the bird to plant them on the branch of a tree. It does this by eating the berry, yet not harming the
seeds. The bird’s droppings, which contain the seeds, will hit a branch, and then the seed will start to germinate.
When there is an abundance of mistletoe berries, black cardinals will gather in the hundreds; otherwise, they are
hard to find.
Anatomy and Physiology
This bird has a four-chambered heart and has two respiration cycles as well. Its digestive system includes a crop for
storing food and feeding babies, and a gizzard for grinding food. It has hollow bones and feathers made of keratin.
Behavior
Phainopepla do not have a long migration, and some do not migrate at all. They travel in small flocks. They build
their nests 4-50 feet off the ground.
References
- Book of North American birds. Pleasantville, N.Y.: Reader’s Digest Association, 1990. Print.
- Bull, John L., and John Farrand. The National Audubon Society field guide to North American birds. Rev.
ed., 2nd ed. New York: Knopf :, 1994. Print. - Dunn, Jon L.. National Geographic field guide to the birds of North America. 6th ed. Washington, D.C.:
National Geographic Society, 2011. Print. - http://www.allaboutbirds.com
- http://www.birding.about.com