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*BIRDS* |
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NAM*AN*IMALS back to the main welcome page 
Cue Cardsread the cue cards you'll find at each station 
Birds What makes a bird a bird? 
Extra Tips - BirdsHints and logistical nuances of teaching this station 
Nest QuotesGet your dose of fake inspiration 
Bird SoundsHow to discuss tweets, chirps, and squawks on the hike  Birds of Prey Foundation 
National Audubon Society Portland Audubon Society 
Woodpeckerscompare our pecking friends 
Ivory Billed WoodpeckerRead about its 60 year absence and its rediscovery 
Owls Birds with incredible adaptations 
Site MapLinks to every page on this site |
What makes a bird a bird? Beaks - all birds have beaks, but so do octopus and squid. Birds have no teeth so their gizzard grinds up food into pulp with the help of stones the bird has swallowed. Wings - all birds have wings, but so do insects and bats Flight - not all birds fly, other animals do fly. Most of a bird's energy is used in take-off. Flight takes a lot of energy and birds have a high metabolic rate, so they need to eat a lot to keep the energy flowing. The phrase "eat like a bird" implies not eating much, but birds eat great quantities every day. Warm blooded - all birds are warm blooded, but so are mammals . Hollow Bones - not all birds have hollow bones, but no other animals have hollow bones. Why do some birds have hollow bones? Why do some birds not have hollow bones? Eggs - birds lay hard-shelled eggs. Other animals have soft shelled or leathery eggs. Feathers - all birds have feathers. No other animal has feathers. Unlike fur that can be ruffled and not damaged, feathers can be permanently damaged. Wing feathers are used for flight power and steering, body feathers are for camouflage or display, down feathers are next to the skin and trap air for insulation (like underfur), tail feathers are used for steering, balance, and display. Bird Diversity Choose a bird from one of the posters. What could it use its beak for? What could the feet be used for? Is this bird more likely a predator or prey? Use the beak, feet, wing, and vision charts to determine your bird's niche more specifically. Bird Hunt Sit so you can see out of the cabin. Look at the area directly around the cabin. What types of birds might live in this habitat? What about farther away near the river? Can you see any birds or find evidence of birds? Are the birds on the ground? In the air? In the trees? Close or far away? Use the binoculars. If you see or hear a bird, try to identify it using the field guides. Fun bird facts: - Chickadees and some blue jays like to "dive-bomb" wasp nests to get to the wasp larvae - they will dart in, poke at the nest and fly off before the wasps can come after them. Eventually, the entire nest falls to the ground. - Albatrosses, with a 12 foot wingspan, can go 6 days without even beating their wings! - A mother roadrunner will eat any weak chicks so that she has more food for the stronger ones. - The Ox-Pecker, a type of bird that lives on rhinos, will warn rhinos when people approach, but not when any other animal comes near. - Spur-Winged plovers get their food by cleaning crocodile gums of leeches. Crocodiles open their mouths wide for these birds and let them wander around happily. |
