Birds, Birds, Birds
Birdwatching, even in your own backyard, can be a rewarding experience. With a simple bird book and feeder, your children will have a whole new world to explore. Birdwatching incorporates many teachable lessons. From observing birds in their environments, children learn:
Flight patterns, anatomy and wing formation
Migration
Nest construction and identification
Food sources
Songs and calls
Bird study can take any form, from simple, to complex depending on the age of the child. Choose projects from the list below which correspond to age and interest of the child.
Join a national register for counting birds.
Backyard Bird Count – Cornell University www.birds.cornell.edu
Project Feeder Watch – Audubon
Great Backyard Bird Count – www.birdsource.org
Projects: 1. Pick a bird. Draw a map of its flight patterns.
Create your own card game of questions and answers.
Keep a journal of backyard birds. regular visitors and new arrivals.
Drawing birds in different mediums: pastel, chalk, colored pencils
Study birds of prey. Choose one as an independent study.
Study nocturnal birds.
Create a collage of birds cut from old magazines.
Make a feeder. A pine cone smeared with peanut butter and rolled in bird seed.
Research library resources and internet for bird feeder projects.
Research James John Audubon. He painted birds across America.
Certify your bird habitat through National Wildlife Federation. All ages can participate. Use their guidelines for planting plants, create a water and food source. Once certified you will receive a sign for your yard. We completed this project many years ago when my oldest was five. Our sign is still proudly posted on our fence. We always have someone ask us what it is all about.
Create a “find and match” poster. Print or cut out photos of birds, nests, food, and habitat. Use poster board and velcro, create a game of matching birds with their homes, food, and habitat. Have older students create the poster for the younger students to involve everyone.
Don’t forget your nature tote with all your tools for the trade!
Resources:
Check your state for birding resources.
Birds – Reader’s Digest, North American Wildlife
Stokes Field Guide To Birds – Stokes
Peterson field guides to birds in your area
Audobon field guides to birds in your area
Waterford Press field guides
The boy who Drew Birds – Jacqueline Davies
Backyard Birding for Kids – Fran Lee
Florida Bird Watching, a year-round guide – Bill Thompson
The Burgess Bird Book for Children – Thornton Burgess
Backyards and Parks – Nick Baker
Birds, Nests, and Eggs – Mel Boring
Crinkleroot’s Guide to Walking in Wild Places – Jim Arnosky
Berries, Nuts, and Seeds – Diane Burns
Birds, Birds, Birds – Ranger Rick NatureScope
The Last Egret – Harvey E. Oyer, III
The Late Loon – Dean Bennett
Learn about birds cut and paste questions.
Learn about birds research
Bird Journal
All about birds from Cornell Lab
Wings over Florida
Great Backyard Bird Count