Biology 2e is designed to cover the scope and sequence requirements of a typical two-semester biology course for science majors. The text provides comprehensive coverage of foundational research and core biology concepts through an evolutionary lens. Biology includes rich features that engage students in scientific inquiry, highlight careers in the biological sciences, and offer everyday applications. The book also includes various types of practice and homework questions that help students understand—and apply—key concepts. The 2nd edition has been revised to incorporate clearer, more current, and more dynamic explanations, while maintaining the same organization as the first edition. Art and illustrations have been substantially improved, and the textbook features additional assessments and related resources.

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

Describe the evolutionary history of birds
Describe the derived characteristics in birds that facilitate flight

Online companion to the PBS program "The Life of Birds." In-depth look at certain behaviors of birds, the evolution of birds, birds as parents, and bird songs.

Evidence from the fossil record is used to support bird evolution from small carnivorous dinosaurs. In the student module, feathers, behavior, and skeletal structure are examined in an interactive lesson designed to impart a complete understanding of fossil bird evolution. In the teacher module, lesson plans, rubrics, assessments and references are clearly outlined.