Pollination by birds is called Ornithophilly. It occurs in at least 10,000 plant species mainly found in the tropics and the temperate southern hemisphere. The highest number of bird-pollinated species are reported in Southwestern Australia. Some birds that help in pollination of flowers are hummingbirds, spiderhunters, drongos, orioles, sunbirds, honeycreepers, and sugar birds. Read this article as it covers pollination by bird notes along with their advantages and disadvantages.
Table of Content
What is Pollination?
Pollination is the process of carrying the pollen grains from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of the same or another flower. Seeds are produced when pollination occurs between flowers of the same species and it facilitates plant reproduction. Pollination is of two types- self-pollination and cross-pollination. When an ovule of a flower is fertilized by a sperm cell derived from a pollen grain of the same flower or another flower of the same plant; this type of pollination is called self-pollination. But, in the case of cross-pollination, the plant needs a vector or a pollinator such as insects, bats, or birds to transfer the pollen to another flower of the same species.
Also Read: Types of Pollination - Self and Cross Pollination
Pollination by Birds Diagram
The diagram of pollination by birds is given below:
What Birds are Pollinators?
About 800 bird species worldwide are moderately or highly specialized nectar feeders. These birds are considered as pollinating birds. Some of the bird pollinators examples are as follows.
- Hummingbirds, eg. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
- Sunbirds, eg. Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja), Fire-tailed sunbird (Aethopyga ignicauda), Black-throated Sunbird (Aethopyga saturata)
- Honeycreepers, eg. Scarlet honeycreeper (Drepanis coccinea)
- Sugarbirds
- Spiderhunters
- Drongos, eg. Hair-crested drongo (Dicrurus hottentottus)
- Orioles, eg. Maroon oriole (Oriolus traillii), Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)
- Red-headed bullfinch (Pyrrhula erythrocephala)
- White-Winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)
Also Read: Difference Between Cross-Pollination And Self Pollination
How Do Birds Pollinate?
The process of pollination occurs by birds in the following manner.
- Birds visit different flowers searching for their food resources i.e. nectar.
- The nectar is usually deeply hidden within the flower.
- When the bird sits on the flower to collect the nectar, the pollen grain from the flower attaches to the bird’s head or neck and back.
- When that bird visits another flower of the same species for the same purpose, the pollen previously attached to its body then falls on the stamen of the flower.
- Thus, the pollen from one flower is transferred to another and pollination occurs.
Also Read: What is Biodiversity? Why is Biodiversity important for Human Lives
Pollination By Birds Examples
The flowers of the following plants attract the birds and pollination occurs by them.
- Shrimp plants
- Verbenas
- Bee balm
- Honeysuckles
- Fuchsias
- Hibiscus
- Bromeliads
- Canna
- Strelitzia
- Heliconia
- Costus
- Cardinal flower
Also Read: Androecium - Definition, Components, Structure, Functions
Bird-Pollinated Flowers Characteristics
Flower is a modest pollen producer and is designed in such a way that it can dust the head or back of a bird with pollen when the bird forages for nectar. The flowers that are specialized for bird pollination have the following features.
- Large, tubular, and have recurved petals.
- Flowers are tubes or funnels or cup-shaped.
- Provide strong support for perching
- Petals are brightly colored such as red, yellow, or orange
- Unscented (Sense of smell in birds is poor)
- Petals open during the daytime
- Should be a prolific nectar producer having deeply hidden nectar
Also Read: Morphology of Flower - Definition, Structure, Parts, Examples
Advantages of Bird-Pollinated Flowers
Pollination by birds has several advantages which include the following.
- Active in cold weather: Birds are active in cold weather. Therefore, many bird-pollinated plants grow in high altitudes and flowers bloom in winter also.
- Long-distance dispersal of pollen: Birds can fly long distances and carry pollen along with their bodies.
- Gene flow: Long-distance gene flow can be observed in bird-pollinated plants.
- Genetic diversity: A high rate of seed dispersal and propagation helps to maintain the genetic diversity of plant species.
Also Read: Genetic Variation - Definition, Types & Examples
Disadvantages of Bird-Pollinated Flowers
There are some disadvantages of pollination by birds in plants which are as follows.
- More energy requirement: More energy is invested in the case of bird pollination than bee pollination.
- Requirement of more nectar: Bird-pollinated plants produce more amount of nectar and are larger to accommodate the birds.
- Requirement of more flower protection: Bird-pollinated plants have to invest more in flower structures so that they can protect their nectar from scavengers.
- Less differentiation: Birds tend to avoid flowers that are energetically unprofitable for them. Thus it can limit the pollen to a set of seeds in small populations.
Importance of Bird Pollinated Flowers
Bird pollination in plants is important in many ways which are as follows.
- It transfers pollen from the male anther to the female stigma and helps in fertilization which is essential for plant reproduction.
- It helps in the long-distance dispersal of pollen from one plant to another.
- It helps in geneflow among the plant species.
- Actively contributing to pollination, birds help to maintain the beauty and diversity of floral plants all over the world.
Conclusion - Pollination by Birds
Birds act as pollinators and transfer pollen from one flower to another when they visit flowers to collect nectar. Many beautiful flowers will not develop into fruits without pollination. Thus birds help in the reproduction of plants. They also help in the dispersal and propagation of seeds and maintain species diversity in plants.
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