TOPIC: THE REGIONS WHERE BIRDS LIVE
LEVEL: Advanced

"Where Birds Live"

[information | preparation | activity ]
SCIENCE CONCEPT:

Birds live in all parts of the world. There are certain varieties that only live in specific locations, while other species are found around the globe.

STUDENT OBJECTIVE:

The student will engage in a global study of various species of birds and where they live. This decision of home for a bird may be dependent on many factors: food, protective habitat, size of bird, adaptability, and flight pattern.

OVERVIEW:

Some birds have the ability to fly great distances, while others cannot. Some birds, because of their size, can hardly fly at all. This will be a short study on the various factors that contribute to a bird's location on the globe and what causes certain birds to pick certain parts on the earth to live.

TEACHER TEXT:

Birds live under all conditions and in all places on earth. This diversity of habitats has created birds of many different kinds, each with special needs and adaptations to meet those needs. Size is a critical factor. Some birds are too heavy to fly, like the ostrich and the EMU. The heavier the bird, the more lift it needs to fly. To meet this need, wings come in different sizes.

There is also great variety in speeds at which birds fly. The top speed of a bird depends upon its design, and this design is determined by where the bird lives and how it gets its food. Generally, the larger the bird the faster it flies. One interesting fact is that the rate of the wing flap does not determine speed. The vulture, whose wings flap once per second, has a very powerful thrust. A small bird flaps it's wings 4 times per second and flies at 25 mph. The hummingbird flaps its wings 10 times per second and flies at 60 mph. Every bird can change speeds, but has a top speed during flight because drag doubles with an increase in speed. The fastest bird is the peregrine falcon. Its wings have a swept back design enabling it to fly at 100 mph in level flight. By folding its wings against its body, the falcon can dive at 200 mph.

Also, there are differences in the kinds of flight speeds birds need. For example, the grouse, pheasant, or quail spend most of their time on the ground. They are camouflaged for protection, but occasionally they do need to fly quickly to escape a predator. They are able to catapult straight into the air, powered by short, broad wings. Their muscles are designed for short bursts of speed. Upon examination of the breast muscle, the meat is white. This means there are not many blood vessels to supply energy to the muscle for sustained flight, but it does make good eating. Ducks, on the other hand, have red breast muscle because they are capable of long, sustained flight. 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.



PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes

LESSON TIME: 2 days - 60 minutes each day

TEACHER PREP:

Have a text on hand that shows the biogeographical regions of the earth. There are six regions that categorize by types the distribution of animals living in each region. With birds there is the variance of migration. Also, have on hand a text about the habitats of birds on the globe and their flight patterns. A text on birding will be helpful for the habits of various birds and their habitats.
WORDS TO KNOW: MATERIALS NEEDED:
STEPS TO FOLLOW:

1. Visit the library together to gather information about the birds around the world.

2. As a class discuss the flight patterns, migrating patterns, and habitats of birds around the world. Refer to the books that have been recommended in this lesson along with the books that the class finds at the library when you visit together.

3. Divide the class into teams of 5 students each. Each team will concentrate on one of the six biogeographical regions on the earth. Assign each team a region.

4. Have the students draw their region on a piece of the white butcher paper.

5. Have the students draw the birds that live in their region on the butcher paper. Note that some birds will migrate from one region to another region and then return at the close of the migrating season. Have the students label the birds that live in their region.

6. As a class put the six regions together and place on a bulletin board.

7. Ask the teams to write up a report about the birds in their region including the habitat, habits, and characteristics of their birds. Then ask each team to present their findings to the rest of the class orally. Place the written reports under the bulletin board with the six regions of the earth.

WHY?

Birds because of their incredible abilities have covered the globe with their species. Within the various species of birds there have been adaptations because of climate, topography, and space. Some birds never leave the ground because of their size - they are just too big to fly, others soar and lunge into the sea to catch their dinner, and others spend hours in the air gliding on the upward movements of air called thermals. The worldwide study of the habitats, habits, size, and abilities of various birds give students a greater understanding of birds.


ASSESSMENT: Can the student communicate what they observed?

4....Student is able to communicate the six biogeographical regions of the earth, name at least 6 bird species that live in each region, and their habits in general.

3....Student is able to communicate five of the biogeographical regions of the earth, name at least 5 bird species that live in those five regions, and their habits in general.

2....Student is able to communicate four of the biogeographical regions of the earth, name at least 4 bird species that live in those four regions, and their habits in general.

1....Student is able to communicate three of the biogeographical regions of the earth, name at least 3 bird species that live in those three regions, and their habits in general.

Last modified: Mon Jul 7 19:42:43 PDT 1997