Birds are the most numerous class of terrestrial vertebrates, of which there are about 10,000 species. It is believed that they came from ancient flying reptiles. Copepods are representatives of the Pelican-like order. These large waterfowl with webbed feet live near water bodies and feed on fish. This order includes about 70 species, 6 families are included in it:
- snake neck;
- frigate;
- pelican;
- phaetonic;
- cormorants;
- booby.
Anhinga
Darter snakes, which are also called snake birds, are the only genus of the darter family. Currently, there are only 4 species: American, African, Australian, Indian darter. Species Indian darter, by the way, is on the verge of extinction, due to human activities and the destruction of habitats.
Darter has a body length of about 80-90 centimeters, their weight can be up to 1.5 kilograms. The darter has a very high and flexible neck, which looks like a curving snake, long, with notches along the edges of the beak. The plumage of birds is dark, males are painted brighter. Birds live in tropical and subtropical zones near freshwater bodies of water. The main food for birds is fish. Anhinga live in pairs, breeding can be seasonal and year-round - depending on the habitat. In clutch of 2-6 eggs, incubation usually lasts about 25-30 days. The life expectancy of birds is about 9 years.
Frigate
The frigate belongs to the marine pelican family. The bird is large: its body length is 80-104 centimeters in length. She has wide wings (up to 2 meters wide), a large head, a long hooked nose, and small paws. The plumage of adult individuals is mainly black with a metallic sheen, and females of some species are white. Young frigates have brown plumage and a white head.
Nesting copepod seabirds are selected on islands near the sea, usually colonized, and often adjacent to other species of seabirds. Nests are placed on low trees, in bushes and just on rocks. Frigates lay one egg, both parents hatch the chick. Incubation lasts 40-50 days.
These birds are called sea pirates, because they take prey from other birds, prey on alien chicks. They themselves freely fish, squid from the surface of the water, on the fly. These copepods can only soar or fly, they have weak legs, so they can’t swim, dive, walk on land. Frigate species include:
- Large frigate;
- Magnificent frigate;
- Ascension Frigate;
- Christmas frigate;
- frigate Ariel.
Pelican
Pelicans can be called the largest representatives of the order of copepods. In Russia, they are inhabited by 2 species: pink and curly pelicans, and in total there are 8 species in the world. The weight of birds varies from 7 to 14 kilograms, body length - up to 180 centimeters.
These birds have a short tail, a not very big head, a long neck, a large flat wide beak. At its bottom is a leather bag for fishing, which has the ability to stretch very much. The top of the beak looks like a lid. The birds have a bulky awkward body, low strong legs. The plumage is white, gray, may be with a pink tint.
Pelicans inhabit all continents, with the exception of Antarctica. They live in shallow marine waters, near shallow lakes (fresh and salt), in the mouths of large rivers. Birds feed on fish, which are obtained by their beak from the surface of the water. Individuals nest with colonies; it happens that several pairs of birds build one common nest. Large pelicans build nests on the ground, and small ones on a tree. The brood is usually no more than 2-3 chicks.
Phaeton
Phaetons are ocean birds. They differ in medium size, white-black color, in which pink or lemon shade may be present. The shape of the tail is wedge-shaped, the middle tail feathers are very long, the legs are weak, short.
Phaetons cannot be on the ground. For prey, birds fly to the water, catch fish, squid, and often fly fish. Birds are monogamous, nesting places on secluded islands of 3 oceans, in subtropical and tropical areas, on high cliffs. These birds do not build nests, but lay eggs on stones. There is one egg in the clutch; incubation lasts 41-45 days. The family has one genus with three species:
- Red-Tailed Chaise;
- Yellow-billed phaeton;
- Red-billed Phaeton.
Cormorants
Cormorants belong to the family of the order of copepods. They can be divided into two kinds. The first includes 29 species, it is distributed around the world. Its main difference is that these birds fly. Representatives of another genus do not fly; they live in the Galapagos Islands.
Among the characteristics of cormorants, the following can be distinguished:
- body length reaches 1 meter;
- the neck is long;
- there is a hook on the beak;
- the tail is very long, hard.
Typically, these birds have black plumage, however, some species may have a white abdomen. Cormorants lead a sedentary lifestyle in countries with a hot climate, and in migratory cold and temperate latitudes. Habitat - seas, lakes and large rivers. Birds can swim and dive well. The main part of their diet is fish. Cormorants nest in colonies, nest on trees, rocks, flat banks.
Scented
Mushrooms are sea birds. Their body length is 64-100 centimeters, weight - up to 3.6 kilograms. The plumage is white, brown and black. Birds fly well, dive for prey from a height of 15-30 meters. Their diet is made up of herring fish .
Gannets nest in colonies on islands near the continents, except for Antarctica and the northern part of the Pacific Ocean. In clutch usually 2-3 eggs. One of the most awkward copepods is the blue-footed boobies. However, in the air they are the most dexterous pilots!