Bird Behavior Hike

Learn to identify bird behaviors

American Redstart  

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT YOU NEED:  

  • Access to the outdoors
  • Notebook 
  • A pencil
  • A camera or sketch pad (optional)
  • Bird behavior primer  
    • Hiding: using camouflage or cover to protect themselves from predators
    • Flocking: creating large groups to fly or feed, creating safety in numbers
    • Bathing: washing in water, or sometimes, giving themselves a dirt bath
    • Flying: using their wings or air currants to travel through the air
    • Preening: cleaning their feathers using their beak or feet
    • Singing: communicating using calls and songs
    • Giving an alarm call: hard to distinguish from a song, but usually shorter and simpler than songs.
    • Foraging: searching for food on the ground, in bark, in water, etc.  Food could include seeds, fruits, fish, even small mammals and reptiles!
    • Feeding: actually eating the food they find

 

WHAT YOU DO:

  1. Head outside to a park or a tree-lined street, where birds of different species can be observed.
  2. Have your child mark down the bird behavior they spot in their notebook.
  3. Use the bird-behavior primer to guide the hike.
  4. If your child is old enough practice trying to photograph the different behaviors, or sketch them.
  5. Ask your child: What behaviors are the most common? Did any birds act in a way that surprised you?

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