Birds Program Outline

Welcome and Introduction

Behavioral Guidelines for visit:

• We are in the animals' neighborhood
• Stay on trails with your group unless taken off trails with class activity
• Leave flowers and plants for animals (don't pick anything)
• Pick up trail treasures to enjoy on-site, but no collecting-leave everything

What is a bird?  Characteristics of birds.

• (feathers-types and function, wings, bones-many are fused and hollow for flight, senses, beaks, warm-blooded, air sacs, lay eggs/build nests, no teeth-use crop and gizzard) 

Rotations

1.  Tree-Top Treasure Hunt - look for wooden birds hidden around the nature center and identify them using a basic field guide

• Observtaion skills
• Classification of organisms
• Learn to use a field guide as an identification tool
• Understand the importance of using keys/field guides to identify organisms in nature

2.  Basic birdwatching-trail hike with binoculars 

• Bird watching techniques
• Learning to recognize different bird vocalizations
• Identification of some common Nature Center birds
• Visit with Birds of Prey at outside mews

3.  Bird Adaptations for Feeding

• Flap like a bird-Students attempt to flap their arms as fast as birds flap their wings and discover how much energy it takes to fly.
• Bird Breakfast Café-Students match various types of bird meals with common kitchen tools that could be used to gather and eat the meals.  Then students match stuffed bird specimens' beaks and feet with the tools they chose. 

Topics are covered by varying degrees depending upon the maturity of students and time constraints.