Meet the Migrants

Scientists estimate that about 9,000 species of birds exist world wide. Approximately 660 species of birds breed in North America. Some birds are known as resident birds which means they stay in one place all year long. Others migrate as the seasons change. Some travel short distances and remain within the United States. Others migrate longer distances and travel into South America. There are approximately 60 species of ducks, swans, and geese classified under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Approximately 340 species of birds migrate to the tropical regions of Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. These species are known as "neotropical" migratory birds and include raptors, waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds. "Neo" refers to "new world," or the Americas, and tropical refers to the latitudinal region between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Of the 60 species of ducks, swans and geese, approximately one third to one half can be said to be neotropical migrants.

All birds have certain features in common. These include feathers, wings, although a few, such as ostriches, cannot fly. Except for some flightless and diving birds, they all have hollow bones. All birds have beaks. And all birds lay eggs. Ducks, swans, geese, and most seabirds spend months on the water and many birds dive underwater in search of food, but they never get wet through to the skin. They coat their feathers with oil from a special gland and constantly preen to keep feathers overlapping like tiles on a roof.

It is important to note that populations of many birds are in danger. In the past ten years, the number of threatened birds in the world has risen sharply. The root cause of population decline is loss of habitat throughout their migratory range. As our human population increases, more and more land is cleared for agriculture, livestock, timber, and development while resources are degraded and consumed faster than nature can replenish them. Many birds, once well adapted to their habitat, cannot survive sudden changes in their environment, they must have adequate time to develop new survival mechanisms and/or skills. Among the birds most affected by changes are:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is charged with managing populations of endangered species. The agency carries out this responsibility by maintaining over 500 National Wildlife Refuges which provide safe haven for many endangered species whose habitats have been destroyed or drastically reduced. There are some 50 - 55 species of birds classified under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act listed as endangered. Each of these represents hope for the future - hope that wise conservation practices will produce balance within the natural world once again.

Adaption Artistry

Grades: Primary

Objective: As a result of completing this activity, students will experiment with a three-dimensional medium to represent a natural object and compare the use of line, form, and shape to represent the same object in two-dimensional media (ART), and understand the adaptive advantage of specific morphological characteristics of birds (SCIENCE).

Materials:

Instructions:

Activity I: Feet are Fantastic

1) Ask students to think of some of the ways birds use their feet. Then discuss different shapes and characteristics of birds' feet and their uses. (In other words, do water birds' feet serve the same purpose as song birds'? Do they look the same?)

2) Distribute pictures of different birds - including their feet - you have collected from birding books etc. to your students

3) Cluster students in working groups and distribute lumps of clay or modeling dough. Tell students they will be making models of a bird's feet from the modeling clay. They may choose to model the feet of a waterfowl or a songbird or any bird whose picture you have distributed to them.

4) When students have completed their clay "feet," have each student draw a picture of his or her bird on a piece of white cardboard or stiff white paper, color it, and cut out the shape. Then have students construct legs by twisting two pipe cleaners together. The pipe cleaners, with the bodies attached, are then pushed down into the clay feet before the clay dries.

5) Have students present their models to the class and then display the models around the room.

Activity II: Feet are Fantastic Dances

1) (Optional) Have individual groups of students develop Feet Are Fantastic dances (independently or in a group). Discuss Native American dances that represent birds. Have student think about how their birds move, based on the feet and anatomy. Ducks waddle; songbirds hop; cranes strut; etc. Have students present their Feet Are Fantastic dances to the class.

Activity III: Bills and Beaks are Beautiful

1) Hold a general discussion of the different types of bills and beaks and how each is necessary for different food preferences and feeding behaviors among birds. Discuss some of the more unique beak and bill shapes, such as those of Roseate spoonbills, Shovelers, Flamingoes, Pelicans, Woodpeckers, and Hummingbirds. Explore with students the reasons for the particular bill or beak shape.

2) Cluster students into working groups and distribute field guides or pictures of different kinds of birds. Tell students they will be working as a group to make papier mache masks depicting one bird.

3) Have groups select the bird for which they will make their mask. Have them outline their selected bird's head on a piece of paper and consider what molding shapes they will need to create their papier mache mask. Will they need a balloon, baseball cap, or other object to provide a mold for the shape of the head or beak?

4) Once each group has developed a reasonable plan for its mask, distribute papier mache materials. Allow groups to construct their papier mache bird head and bill or beak. Several class periods may be required for completing the basic papier mache mold. The papier mache molds will need to dry for a day or two.

5) Once the basic molds are dry, students can finish the papier mache to depict the birds facial features and bill or beak using paints or markers. Have them carefully consider pictures of their selected bird in the field guides.

6) After the papier mache masks are completed, have the groups present their masks, perhaps with one student wearing the mask and several others describing the bird and why they developed their mask as they did.

Activity IV: Bills and Beaks Are Beautiful Skits

1) Have students consider what types of food their bird eats based on its beak or bill shape. Does it "dabble" for underwater plants and other aquatic organisms. Does it feed on berries and seeds, insects while flying, worms from the ground, grubs from under tree bark? Have students develop a dance to represent their bird's feeding behavior based on the shape of its beak.

2) Have students with different bird and beak masks get together and develop a short skit based on the differences of their food preferences and feeding behaviors.

Activity V: Nests are Neat

1) Hold a general discussion about different birds' types of nests. Discuss the difference between ground nesters, tree nesters, and cavity nesters. Discuss the main purposes of nests and ask students why they think certain types of birds have developed different types of nests.

2) Have each student select the type of next he or she would like to build. Have each student consider the materials necessary to build the nest - clay, straw, etc. Have each student make a materials list.

3) Cluster students into working groups and distribute nest building materials -clay, straw, newspaper, yarn, etc. Have students build their nests and present them to the class. (Students may wish to place their "nests" outside to see what they attract!)

4) (Optional) Another way to conduct this activity would be as a basket-making activity. In this approach, students can design and weave baskets that represent birds' nests and discuss the similarities and differences between the baskets and nests.

Evaluation:

Do student's feet models demonstrate a strong facility in the use of the materials of construction. Do students' understand how the food shapes relate to the different ways birds use their feet? Do students' papier mache masks, dances, and skits demonstrate an understanding of how birds' unique food preferences require different bills or beak shapes and structures? Do students' nests demonstrate an understanding of the purposes of nests and the materials birds use to build nests?

Endangered Birds

Grades: Middle

Objectives: As a result of completing this activity, students will create placard costumes and conduct dramatic role-playing to determine the reasons for the endangerment of selected migratory birds (ART), and develop an understanding of the ecological reasons for certain species' endangerment and possible extinction (SCIENCE).

Materials:

Instructions:

Activity I: Dateline Endangered

1) Discuss concepts of extinction and endangerment referring to bird species that have become extinct such as the GREAT AUK, PASSENGER PIGEON, CAROLINA PARAKEET, HEATH HEN, and LABRADOR DUCK. (Refer also to the discussion on endangerment in Meet the Migrants.)

2) Distribute the list of Endangered Migratory Birds. Tell students they will be creating life-size poster placards of an endangered bird of their choice. Have students identify several of the birds listed as endangered in field guides. Have each student choose an endangered bird and research its basic habitat requirements. Students can get most of the necessary habitat information from field guides.

3) Distribute poster paper, markers, crayons, and other drawing materials and have the students create an enlarged image of their bird to fit the size of the paper. Once students have completed their endangered bird posters, punch holes in the top of the posters and thread the top with a piece of cord or yarn. Reinforce the holes with circular, adhesive reinforcers to avoid tearing.

4) Divide the class into two groups. Tell members of group one that they will be interviewing members of group two. Members of group two will "wear" their endangered bird posters. The job of group one is to determine why the members of group two have become endangered. Have the students in group one develop a series of interview questions following a line of inquiry, to develop critical-thinking skills. Questions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

a) What bird species are you?
b) What is your habitat like?
c) What are your favorite foods?
d) Where do you spend the winter?
e) Where do you spend the summer?
f) What is happening to your habitat in your breeding grounds?
g) What is happening to your habitat in your wintering grounds?

5) Once members of group one have developed their questions, have them pair up with one of the members of group two and conduct their investigative interviews. Once the interviews are complete, have each member of group one present the results of his or her interview. Presentations by members of group one should adequately address the causes of why the species represented by his partner (from group two) has become threatened or endangered.

6) Now switch and have members of group two interview members of group one.

Activity II: Endangered Species Skits

1) Cluster the students into groups of four or five. Tell the students they will be creating skits based on the information they obtained about why the birds represented on their placards became endangered, what conservation efforts could be conducted to help them, and what may happen if nothing is done. Have them bring their placards with them to the working groups.

2) Have the students in each group present their skits to the rest of the class. The endangered species skits could provide a wonderful presentation for a school-wide International Migratory Bird Day festival.

Evaluation:

Do students' placard/posters effectively illustrate the endangered species they chose? Do the presentations of the results of students' interviews and the group skits reflect an understanding of the concepts of endangerment and extinction and the main reasons why these occur?

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