Avian Studies (part 2) - Diploma

This second part of the two-part programme looks at the broader world of ornithology and seeks to categorise all the different forms of birds that are found around the world today.

It discusses where they are found, characteristics and many other interesting fact.

This large subject is covered in two, four module diploma courses that can be combined to make a higher diploma award.

Course Modules

5. Flightless Birds

• Introduction to Flightless birds
• Evolution of Flightless Birds in New Zealand
• Ratites
• Struthioniformes - the Ostrich
• The Ostrich
• Rheiformes
• The Greater or Common Rhea
• Lesser or Darwin's Rhea
• Casuariiformes - emus and cassowaries and others of this family are Single Wattled Cassowary and the Dwarf Cassowary of New Guinea
• Emus
• Apterygiformes - the Kiwis
• Little Spotted Kiwi
• Great Spotted Kiwi
• North Island Brown
• Okarito Brown
• Southern Tokoeka Kiwi
• Haast Tokoeka Kiwi
• North Island Brown
• Tinamiformes - 45 species of Tinamou
• The Undulated Tinamou
• Solitary Tinamou
• Psittaciformes
• The Kakapo
• Passeriformes - Kokako
• Kokako
• The South Island Kokako
• Gruiformes - the Weka and the Takahe of the Rallidae Family and the Kagu of the Rhynochetidae Family
• The Takahe
• The Weka (aka woodhens)
• The Kagu
• Pelicaniformes
• The flightless cormorant
• Sphenisciphormes - penguins
• Penguins in general
• Macaroni Penguin
• Humboldt Penguin
• Magellanic Penguin
• Gentoo Penguins

• Introduction to Seabirds
• Classification of Seabirds
• The ranges and distribution of seabirds
• Adaptations to the aquatic environment
• Feeding
• Breeding and reproduction
• Flight
• The flight of pelagic seabirds
• The flight of smaller seabirds
• Order Pelecaniformes - Pelicans
• Family Sulidae - gannets and boobies
• Family Phaethontidae - Tropicbirds
• Order Charadriiformes
• The Common Gull
• The Herring Gull
• Family Alcidae - penguin-shaped, black-and-white seabirds
• Common Guillemots
• Family Scolopacidae - Phalaropes
• Red Necked Phalarope
• Family Sternidae
• Black Tern
• Family Rhynchopidae
• The African Skimmer
• Order Procellariiformes - The albatross
• Family Procellariidae
• Fairy Prion
• Family Hydrobatatidae
• The European Storm-Petrel
• Family Pelacanoididae
• Diving Petrels
• The Common Diving Petrel
• Order Anseriforme
• Family Anatidae
• The King Eider

• Introduction to Passerines
• Warblers and Relatives
• Swallows and Martins
• The Sand Martin
• True Tits and other Tits
• The Blackbirds and their relatives
• Starlings
• Crows and relatives
• The Jackdaw
• The Raven
• Lyrebirds
• Buntings, Sparrows and Relatives
• Weaverbirds
• The Parasitic Weaver
• Finches and their Relatives
• Estrildid Finches
• Wagtails and Pipits
• Larks
• Shrikes
• Wrens
• Bowerbirds
• Birds of Paradise

• Coraciiformes
• Kingfishers
• The Eurasian Kingfisher
• Gaviiformes
• The Red-throated Diver
• Gruiiformes
• Gruidae - The Cranes
• The Japanese Crane
• Aramidae - The Limpkin
• Eurypygidae - The Sunbittern
• Heliornithidae - The African Finfoot
• Rallidae - Rails and their relatives
• Crakes
• The Little Crake
• The Spotted Crake
• Common Moorhen
• The Moorhen
• Purple Gallinule
• Eurasian Coot
• The American Coot
• Ciconiiformes - The herons and their relatives
• Herons
• The Grey Heron
• The Great Blue Heron
• Egrets
• Snowy Egret
• Bitterns
• Shoebill
• Hamerkop
• Storks
• The White Stork
• Ibises
• Scarlet Ibis
• Sacred Ibis
• Spoonbill
• Eurasian Spoonbills
• The African Spoonbills