Bird Walk

SCIENCE CONCEPT:

Birds are best observed in their natural habitat. Any park, playground, or neighborhood is going to have a host of birds to watch. The best time to look and listen for birds is in the spring or during their fall migration. The bright-colored males are singing loudly and going about their duties of territory defense and courtship in the spring.

STUDENT OBJECTIVE:

The students will experience first-hand the world of the birds in their habitat. Looking for robins, starlings, sparrows, doves, and pigeons is a great place to start. Add to those birds hummingbirds, flickers, and herons. The student will begin to see not only differences in their physical appearance but also variations of song and habit.

OVERVIEW:

The class will go on a walk by their school in search of birds over a three day period. Each day discuss together what you observe about the habits of the birds you see. Take along a few pair of binoculars to get close-up looks at nests with eggs and young birds, and a clearer view of the birds in flight.

LESSON TIME:

60 minutes.

TEACHER PREP:

Locate a park, neighborhood, wooded area, etc. where there are many birds in residence. Also, ask for volunteers to go with you to assist the children with the binoculars.

WORDS TO KNOW:

migration

observing

robins

starlings

sparrows

pigeons

flickers

herons

hummingbirds

nest

courtship

TEACHER TEXT:

Most birds do not fly faster or higher than necessary. It takes too much energy to climb against gravity and higher air means less oxygen to breathe and support the bird. Maneuverability is another variable in flight. Some birds can make sharp turns at top speed, others fly primarily in straight lines. The difference is in the tail design. It is used like a rudder. The tail feathers are broad and stiff and can open and close like a fan, move up or down, or twist left or right. Birds and planes must bank as they turn. They tilt one wing higher than the other to prevent sliding. If they try and turn without banking, they skid because there is nothing but air to hold them. Their bodies keep going in the former direction even though they are facing in a new direction. Banking braces the underside of the wings and body against the oncoming air and reduces the skid. Banking is not the only method for turning. Some birds beat one wing a little faster than the other. They then turn in the direction of the slower moving wing. Steering up and down is accomplished with the tail by moving it opposite the desired direction. Turning while gliding and soaring is accomplished by two different wing designs. Birds that soar over land have broad, slotted wings, while those who soar over water have long, narrow wings. Both are equally good.

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Last modified: Fri Apr 3 13:39:41 PST 1998