ANATOMY OF BIRDS
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS
CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS
LIZARD-TAILED BIRD
AMERICAN TOOTHED-BIRDS
THE OSTRICHES
THE RHEAS
EMEUS AND CASSOWARIES
THE TINAMOUS
THE KIWIS
THE PENGUINS
LOONS AND GREBES
ALBATROSSES & PETRELS
STORK-LIKE BIRDS
GOOSE-LIKE BIRDS
FALCON-LIKE BIRDS
FOWL-LIKE BIRDS
CRANE-LIKE BIRDS
PLOVER-LIKE BIRDS
CUCKOO-LIKE BIRDS
THE ROLLER-LIKE BIRDS
SPARROW-LIKE BIRDS
Birds and Birding's Guide to:
Watching GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF BIRDS
Regional Bird Watching
It is not always easy to account for the presence or absence of certain genera or other groups of birds in this or that part of the world, especially when it appears that the conditions of environment in localities whence they are absent are apparently similar to those obtaining where they are present, and were it not for the aid rendered by geology and paleontology we should often be left without an adequate explanation.
It is no doubt true that certain groups of birds now confined to circumscribed areas could exist as well in other parts of the world where climatic and food conditions are practically similar, provided the avenues for reaching them were open. For instance, the abundant fresh-water bodies of the New World, teeming with fishes and other aquatic life, seem admirably adapted to support a varied Kingfisher fauna, and doubtless our Troupials {Icteridm) could change places with the Old World Starlings {Sturnida), or our Wood-warblers (Mniotiltida) with the Old World Warblers (Sylviidce). These groups, and of course many others could be mentioned, appear to have reached their present standing in approximately the same geographical areas they now occupy, and long since all land connection between their respective habitats has been cut off.
In the light of geological evidence it is beyond dispute that in the past numerous large land masses have been many times joined together and many times rent asunder. In this way continents as well as lesser land areas have been successively joined and cut off from one another, and each junction has left the way 1 open for an exchange of life forms.
North and South America have been many 1 times severed and united; Australia by a relatively slight subsidence has lost New Zealand, and Madagascar was undoubtedly at one time a part of the continent of Africa. Both New Zealand and Madagascar were stocked with certain animal forms while they retained connection with their parent masses which the sea barrier has since prevented from commingling, at least to any great extent. The important bearing of these facts on distribution is obvious.
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