HELP! HELP! Dr. Audubon, one of the most famous ornithologists, is looking for some bright young students to train as junior ornithologists. That's a pretty big word, but it means a scientist that studies birds. They study all sorts of things about birds. Your class has been appointed by Dr. Audubon to help some very confused birds find their way home. "WHY?," you ask, "do they need help finding their way home?" That remains to be read.

In teams of two you will visit various websites so that you can make informed decisions about where each bird belongs based on their adaptations. Once the research has been completed, you will have a list of birds you find in different environments and why they belong their.

Click here to see a page with a printable data sheet.

 

Birds Birds Everywhere!

 

On November 30 a strange whistling noise was heard around the world. As the noise grew louder the birds started acting very weird. As attention is drawn toward the sky in the west it begins to look like a massive cloud traveling east. Wait a minute! The TV is on and the news is showing that the birds in the east are flying west. Won't this cause a collision at some point? As we continue to watch the news a flash comes across the screen. It seems that the birds won't collide after all. They are all landing right in the middle of the United states. That's strange.

Scientists are right on the problem and are examining the birds. They have found that the frequency, or pitch, of the whistling has damaged their central nervous system causing them to be confused. Therefore, they can not find their way home.

This is where you come into the picture. You must research different birds and be able to tell by their individual adaptations weather they are shore birds, perching birds, birds of prey, or waterfowl. When that is accomplished we can put them in trucks and ship them back to their homes.

This is a very important task that has been presented to you. Make sure you pay attention to information you get on the web sites. Use your data collection sheet as you work to record information. Work with your partners. Most of all remember that many of the birds will not survive without your help.

Because there are so many kinds of birds your first task will be to decide which type of bird you want to identify first waterfowl, shore birds, perching birds, or birds of prey. Look at the web sites to get an idea of the adaptations for the type of bird you choose.