Ornithology 100 Hours Certificate Course

There are 9 lessons:

1. Classification and Introduction to Bird watching
   • Nature and scope of ornithology (over 9,000 species)
   • Place of Birds in Nature
   • Bird Classification (Aves, Ratitae, Carinate)
   • Use of common names and scientific names
   • Fossil or Extinct Birds
   • Classes and Sub Classes
   • Comparing characteristics of different Super orders
   • Comparing characteristics of all major bird Families
   • Resources for further information
   • Bird Watching equipment
     
2. The Biology of Bird
   • Anatomical feature
   • Skeleton
   • FeathersFeather Colour
   • Wings
   • Wing Types (elliptical, high speed, long soaring, high lift)
   • Legs and Feet
   • Beaks and BillsInternal Structure
   • RespirationExcretion
   • Digestion
   • Circulation
   • Senses
   • Avian Behaviours (Flight, Diving, Reproduction, Courtship, Bonding, Territoriality, Nesting)
   • Formation of Eggs and Hatching
   • Feeding
   • Vocalisations
   • Migration
   • Habitats
     
3. Common and Widespread Land Birds.
   • Eagles and Relatives; Carthatidae (New World vultures, condors)
   • Pandionidae (osprey)
   • Accipitridae (hawks, eagles, kites)
   • Sagittariidae (secretary bird)
   • Falconidae (falcons, caracaras)
   • Crows and their Relatives
   • Butcher birds, Currawongs and related birds
   • Pigeons (structure, feeding, breeding, types)
   • Doves
   • The Dodo
   • Cuckoos
   • Pest and Introduced Birds (for man countries); Indian Mynah, Sparrow, Thrush, Starling, etc
     
4. Giant Birds and Long Legged Birds.
   • Ratitites; Ostrich, Emu, Moa, Rhea, Cassowary, Kiwi, South American Tinamous, extinct giant Elephant bird and Dodo
   • Herons, Storks and relatives
     
5. Seabirds and Water birds.
   • Anseriformes; ducks, geese, swans etc
   • Gruiformes; cranes, coots, mud hens, rails
   • Charadriiformes; sandpipers, snipes, curlews, plovers, dotterels, etc
   • Gaviiformes; divers
   • Gulls, Skuas, Auks, Puffins, Terns
   • Tube Nosed Birds
   • Albatrosses
   • Petrels, Storm Petrels and Diving Petrels
   • Pelicans and Relatives
   • Gannets
   • Cormorants
   • Boobies, Frigate Birds, Tropic Birds, Penguins
     
6. Hunters -Birds of Prey, Owls, and Kingfishers.
   • Eagles
   • Eagle species
   • Hawks
   • Kites
   • Osprey
   • Falcons
   • Vultures
   • Owls
   • Breeding behaviours of birds of prey
   • Kingfishers
     
7. Passeriformes.
   • Scope of "songbirds" or "perching birds".
   • Features common to Passeriformes
   • Varieties of Passeriformes (Primitive and Advanced)
   • Muscicapidae; thrush
   • Robins
   • Flycatchers, Larks, Pippits, Wingtails
   • Swallows and Martins; physical characteristics, breeding and nesting
   • Fringilllidae; finches
     
8. Other Birds.
   • Parrots; structure, feeding, breeding, species
   • Honeyeaters, Swifts
   • Galliformes; chicken.
   • Other Orders
     
9. Attracting, Feeding and Keeping Birds.
   • How plants benefit birds
   • Plants that attract birds
   • Feeding Birds
   • Bird Care; parasites, catching and handling, caring for a sick bird
   • Common Ailments