Animal Classificatio

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Mammals BirdsFishReptilesAmphibiansInsects

All About MammalsMammals are one of the 6 main classes of animals.  Animal classes are groups of animals that scientists consider to be alike in some important ways.  Mammals are the animal class that people belong to.  

There are only about 4,000 kinds of mammals.  This sounds like a lot, but when you consider there are 21,000 kinds of fish and a whopping 800,000 kinds of insects you’ll realize mammals are a pretty small class!

Here are some of the ways that mammals are alike!

 Mammals are warm blooded.   The temperature could be freezing cold

or boiling hot,  

but mammals’ bodies are built to maintain just about the same temperature all the time.  Warm blood lets the mammals be very active and live in a wide variety of places.  

Mammals are everywhere.  Polar bears live in very cold areas.  Camels live in hot areas.  Moles live under the ground.  Bats live in caves and fly in the air.  Dolphins live in the oceans.  Fur and fat help protect mammals who live in the cold.  Mammals sweat or pant to release extra heat if they live somewhere toasty.

All mammals have fur or hair.  Sometimes it's long hair covers their entire body

Sometimes it's very short hair or there are just a few strands.

Even mammals that swim under the water (like dolphins and whales) have hair.  Though you would need a magnifying glass to see the fine hair on the lips of a young whale.

Mammals are the only animals with true hair.  Hair are dead cords of a substance called keratin which is also what our fingernails are made from.  The most important part is that hair is dead.

What looks like hair on a fly or a spider actually contains living parts of the animal. 

That means if you cut a spider's hair it would HURT!  (er, the spider)

Source: http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/mammals.htm & http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/mammals2.htm

All About Birds

What's a bird?Do you know what makes a bird different from other animals?

 

Blue Jay - bird

Is it the pretty colors?

No -- other animals, like fish

and insects,

come in all sorts of

beautiful colors too.

Karner Blue Butterfly - insect

 

toucan - bird

Is it the bill or beak?

No -- other animals, like

the duck billed

platypus (a mammal), have bills

too.

platypus - mammal

penguin egg

Is it the eggs?

No -- other animals, like

fish, amphibians,

reptiles, insects and even some mammals, hatch from

eggs as well.

crocodile egg

 

bald eagle - bird

Is it the wings?

No -- other animals, like insects and

some mammals,

have wings.

dragonfly - insect

Then what is it!?

peacock - bird

Feathers!  All birds have feathers and birds are the only animals

that do!

Feathers do many jobs for birds.  Soft down keeps them warm, wing feathers allow flight and tail feathers are used for steering.  

The color of the feathers can be used to hide the bird or to help the bird find a boyfriend or a girlfriend!

The RaptorsBirds of prey or "raptors" are meat eating birds that use their strong feet, talons and hooked beaks to catch and kill their prey.  This group includes eagles, osprey, hawks, owls (Great Horned Owl), kites, harriers, buzzards, merlins, vultures, goshawks and condors.  They eat small mammals such as mice and rabbits, fish, snakes, and even other birds.  Some catch and kill their food and others (like vultures) feast on the leftovers other hunters leave behind.  

bald eagle

Look at the photo of the bald eagle to the left.  Can you see how strong it's beak looks?  See how it has a hooked end?  This beak is used to tear into flesh. 

Birds don't have teeth... can you guess why?  Teeth are heavy and would make it very difficult for birds to fly.  This is especially important for birds of prey who must fly swiftly to catch their food.  Birds "chew" their food inside a part of the stomach called the gizzard.  The gizzard has strong muscles which grind the food against a rough inner surface to break it down.

I spy with my little eye...Raptor eyes are so big that they cannot move them.  The bird has to turn its entire head to look around (that's where the idea that owls can spin their heads around comes from... they can't really, but they can turn their heads a LOT farther than we can!)

The eyes of a raptor are so important for their survival, that they have three eyelids.  The third one is partially see-through (partly "transparent") which allows the birds of prey to protect their eyes when attacking prey and still have some sight.  

owl

Birds of prey have eyesight that is at least two or three times better than ours.  Some can see a grasshopper from the other side of a football field!  Golden eagles can spot a rabbit from over a mile away and owls have great night vision so they can hunt in the dark.

 

hawk

A bird of prey's toenails are called talons. Talons are very sharp, hook-like appendages that are used to catch prey and balance on trees.

Raptors that spend a lot of time soaring above the ground in search of prey have long broad wings that allow them to catch rising air currents and soar through the air.  Soaring saves energy because the bird doesn't have to flap its wings to stay aloft.   Soaring also makes it harder for a potential meal to

spot the bird of prey.  

Raptor BabiesNo matter what type of animal we're talking about, babies are cute -- but they're also a lot of work.

From just before the eggs are laid to midway through the nesting period, the male bird is busy hunting for food for the female and babies.

Most birds of prey lay one to six eggs, but they don't lay them all at once.  They wait a day or two after each egg before laying the next.  The first chick to hatch is bigger than the others and may actually kill it's younger siblings if food is scarce.  I'm sure all of us oldest children have envied the raptors once or twice in our lifetimes.

The length of time it takes for the babies to get large enough to start flying is called the "fledgling period".  This can be anywhere between 20 and 150 days.  This is a big part of the raptor parents' life!  Especially since they lay eggs every year.

 

Scientific information:  Raptors are part of two scientific "orders" Falconiformes and Strigiformes. Falconiformes are "diurnal" which means they hunt mainly during the day -- for example, eagles, hawks and falcons.  This order includes four "families"  -- Cathartidae (vultures), Accipitridae (hawks, eagles and kites), Pandionidae (osprey), Falconidae (falcon and kestrel).

Stringiformes is just a fancy way of saying owls.  This order includes two "families" -- the Tytonidae (barn owls) and the Strigidae (all other owls).

Peregrine Falcon

WaterfowlFrom Daffy Duck to Mother Goose, waterfowl seem to be some of the most popular birds to turn into cartoon characters.  Perhaps it's the oversized bills, the nasal QUACK/HONK or the slight waddle in the walk that make these birds such a fond part of children's literature and television.  Whatever the attraction, these ugly ducklings have been turning into swans for generations.  

mallard ducks

The main characteristic of ducks, geese and swans (known as waterfowl) is that they all love to swim.  Although they have somewhat different diets, they all spend a lot of time in the water.  Ducks and swans dip, duck and dive to get at insects, snails, small fish and water plants.  Geese mainly graze on land in fields and meadows eating plants, grass and seeds.

When they aren't in the water, waterfowl waddle their way through life.

Swans and most ducks are clumsy and awkward on land.  Some kinds of ducks can barely walk at all, and hardly ever leave the water.  Geese are a bit better at walking, since they spend a lot of time feeding on land, but you can still make out the waddle if you watch them for awhile.

mute swan  (trumpeter swans have black bills, mute swans have orange bills)

Those awkward legs are great in the water though.  The legs are quite far apart and the feet are webbed which makes waterfowl a graceful group of swimmers.   

redhead duck

With a Quack, Quack here and a Meow, Meow there?  Ducks say "quack".  Geese and swans say "honk"... right?

Well, for the most part that is true, but although many geese do honk and most ducks do quack, others make altogether different sounds.

Some geese cackle and cluck like hens and chickens.  Some ducks squeal, squeak and cluck.  And a male Redhead DuckMEOWS like a cat.

... I'll bet that confuses the other birds in the marsh! 

Bills, bills, billsWhen we spoke about raptors, we noted that their beaks were hooked and pointed for tearing flesh.

Waterfowl have very different beaks (or bills).  They are flat and rounded.  Perfect for rooting around in soft marsh soil for plants and small animals

 

geese

Of all the cute images of waterfowl you'll find in books and cartoons, the image of mom followed by a row of little waddling goslings (or ducklings) is the cutest.

Most waterfowl build their nests near the water's edge.  Though there are some ducks that make their nests in trees or holes in the ground.

 

Baby waterfowl hatch with their eyes open and can walk and swim right away.  While the babies are growing up, first one parent and then the other molts or sheds the long wing and tail feathers.  While they are molting, the parent cannot fly.  But by the end of summer, both parents have grown new feathers as have the young ones, so they are all able to migrate together. 

And that brings us to the last characteristic of waterfowl -- most of them migrate.  They form flocks (or groups) of birds and form familiar patterns in the sky.  Some like the Canada Geese, fly in a pattern shaped like a V.   Others such as Black Brants fly in a single slanting line.

Although these patterns may seem odd, they have a very important purpose.  The first goose in line pushes through the air and makes a path for the others.  It really does make it easier for the others to fly!  When the leader gets tired, it drops back and another moves up to take its place!

Scientific information:  Waterfowl make up the scientific "order" Anseriformes.  Within this order are the "families" Anhimidae andAnatidae -- most of the waterfowl fall into the second family.

Flightless BirdsAlthough it's true that all birds have feathers and wings, that doesn't necessarily mean they can all fly.  

penguin swimming

A penguin spends as much as 75% of it's life at sea.  It doesn't use it's wings to fly -- it uses them to swim.

Its streamlined body and strong wings allow it to swim as fast as 15 miles per hour after fish, krill, squid and crustaceans. 

Puffins CAN fly, but they tend not to.  Like the penguin, it uses its wings to move through the water catching fish and other small sea creatures by diving.

Puffins spend a few months each year living on an island.  The rest of the time they live in the northern seas.

Puffins only go to the island when it is time to have babies.  When the baby hatches and reaches about 6 weeks old, the parents return to the sea, stranding it on the island.  All by itself, the chick learns to swim and catch fish to eat.

puffin

The largest living bird is the ostrich which can be as big as 8 feet tall and 330 pounds.  The ostrich relies on its speed, size and strong kick rather than flight for safety.  An ostrich can kill a person with one kick and can run up to 40 miles per hour.

Ostriches live in flocks in dry parts of Africa.  Flocks can have as many as 600 birds in them.  

Ostriches are vegetarian and spend much of their time searching out water.

The emus of Australia are the second largest bird.  They can grow to 6 feet tall and weigh 100 pounds.  Emus are also fast runners.  

They live in smaller flocks on the dry plains and deserts in Australia.  They feed on leaves, grass, and insects.

Father emus are the caregivers -- they build the nests, incubate the eggs and raise the babies until they are able to take care of themselves.

Australian emu

The New Zealand Kiwi has nothing to do with kiwifruit.  It lives in moist forests and uses its long, bendable bill to poke around the ground in search of worms.

Unlike many of the other flightless birds, the kiwi is not very large.  It's only about a foot and a half long.  To avoid predators, the kiwi hides during the day and comes out at night to search for food.

The kiwi has fine feathers that make it look almost furry.  It has no tail feathers and its wings are so small they're typically not very easy to see.  

 

The Rhea of South America, the Kakapo of New Zealand and the Cassowary of Australia and New Guinea are also flightless birds.  A number of extinct birds were also flightless, including the Dodo of Mauritius and the Moa and Dinornis of New Zealand.

 

Scientific information:   

Penguins make up the scientific "order" Sphenisciformes.    Puffins belong to the scientific order Alcidae.   Ostriches make up the scientific order Struthioniformes.   Cassowaries and Emus make up the scientific

order Casuariiformes.   Kiwis make up the scientific order Apterygidae.   Rheas makes up the scientific order Rheiformes.  

 

Source: http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/birds1.htm & http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/birds2.htm & http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/birds3.htm & http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/birds4.htm

All About Fish 

Clownfish.Photo Source:  Leanne Guenther

What distinguishes fish from the other animal classes? 

Fish are a class of aquatic vertebrates.  The combination of gills, fins and the fact that they live only in the water make fish different from all other animals.

 

Some fish are beautiful...Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

Fish spend all of their lives in the water and are cold-blooded with the exception of Tuna family and the Mackerel shark family.

And some...not so much.

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

 

Yes!A seahorse is a

fish.Photo Source:  Corel Web

Gallery

Scientists believe that there are

more than 24,000 

different species of fish in the

world.  Lion Fish or Scorpion fishPhoto Source:  Corel Web Gallery

 

They range in size from the largest, Whale shark at 16 m (51 ft) long, to the smallest the 8 mm (1/4 in.) Stout Infantfish.

The Whale Shark is the largest member of the fish family.

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

Shark skeletons are made of cartilage, not bone.

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

Most fish have a skeleton made of bone but some, like sharks, have a skeleton made of cartilage.

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

We are not FISH!

Many people mistakenly group whales and dolphins into the fish family. They are actually mammals.  They are warm-blooded, feed their babies with milk from their bodies and breathe air into lungs.

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

 

Jellyfish and starfish are not fish at all!  They are marine invertebrates.

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

 

Source: http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/fish1.htm & http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/fish2.htm

All About Reptiles

So what makes a reptile a reptile? 

The two biggest clues

are:   1) they are

cold-blooded,

and 

   2) they are covered in

scales.

 

A turtle finds some shade to cool down.

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

Being cold-blooded means that their bodies react to the temperature of their surroundings. When they get too warm, they can go into the water or shade to cool off. 

 

When they get too cold they can hang out in the sun to warm themselves up.

A lizard catches some sun to warm up.

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

 

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery Some creatures

that belong to the reptile

group of animals are

snakes, alligators, crocodiles, tortoises,

lizards, etc.

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

 

A crocodile's back has

large bumpy scales.Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

Scales protect their bodies.Scales can be hard or soft,

large or small. Snake Scales

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

  

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

Reptiles are born on land and are born with strong instincts, so they are on their own at birth.  Just think, no parents to nag them about cleaning their rooms!

Source: http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/reptiles1.htm

All About Amphibians 

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

The word amphibian means two-lives.  Amphibians spend their lives in the water and on land.

 

All amphibians begin their life in water with gills and tails. As they grow, they develop lungs and legs for their life on land. 

Bullfrog tadpole.

 

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

Amphibians are cold-blooded,

which means that they are the

same temperature as the air or

water around them. 

Photo Source:  Corel Web Gallery

 

Fire Salamander

There are more than 4,000 different kinds of amphibians. Members of this animal class are frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and

Photo Source:  Wikipedia (Public Domain) User - Emilishacaecilians or blindworms.

Source: http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/amphibian1.htm What is an insect?Insects are a special group of arthropods. All insects share several, easily-recognizable external characteristics including:

Three body segments (head, thorax, and abdomen)

Three pairs of jointed legs, all of which are attached to the thorax

Antennae (although there are a few species of insects with no antennae)

Wings (though there are some flightless insects)

The figure below demonstrates some of these characteristics of insects.

Source: http://www.butterflyschool.org/student/insect.html