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Urban Kids

© Fred J. Kane

This article is being submitted with permission from Allison Wells, media contact of Cornell lab of ornithology. Allison Wells can be reached at amw25@cornell.edu OR call 607-254-2475

Fred J. Kane Page 1 URBAN KIDS' INTEREST IN SCIENCE FOSTERED BY NEW CORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY BIRD STUDY

Let's Do This In English and Spanish

National Science Foundation helps fund "Birds in the 'Hood/Ayes del Barrio"

Since 1996, families, classrooms, and youth groups all over the world have been helping researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology study one of the most common and perhaps misunderstood birds: the pigeon. Now, thanks to a one million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation, several new focus areas will join Project Pigeon Watch as part of an Urban Bird Studies initiative, engaging more children to study a greater variety of bird species.

The grant, called "Birds in the 'Hood/Ayes del Barrio," will consist of a set of bilingual (English and Spanish) projects designed to encourage kids and their adult educators to participate easily in an educational project that provides scientific data on birds across urban landscapes. Each project will consist of a set of simple to advanced protocols for counting and recording data about a particular group of urban birds. Simple protocols will require counting with little or no need for identification of particular species and color types (morphs), while advanced protocols may require simultaneous counts of several species and morphs.

"Our goal is to provide an educational experience that fosters kids' natural curiosity about science, and birds provide the perfect springboard," says Dr. Mindy LaBranche, lead researcher on the grant. "For many children in urban settings, the birds they see every day include not only pigeons but also other dove species, gulls, and crows. Birds in the Hood/Ayes del Barrio will allow educators to use these birds as a means to teach basic scientific concepts."

In Project Pigeon Watch, kids are helping scientists answer the question, "Why do pigeons occur in so many different color morphs?" They locate a dependable pigeon flock, learn the seven different morphs that make up the flock- "checkers," "blue-bar," and "spread," for example-and play detective to determine who's trying to attract whom for a mate within the flock. "After many generations, science expected pigeons would converge on only one or two color morphs," says LaBranche. "This hasn't happened, and Pigeon Watchers collect data to help us find out why."

Now, participants in Birds in the 'Hood/Ayes del Barrio will be able to help researchers learn more about, other urban birds such as group sizes and family dynamics in crows and jays. "Among the concepts we want to promote are the understanding of family groups and how to conduct behavioral observations," says LaBranche.

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