Bird Watching and Identification


Bird Watching and Identification

Last year my two sons participated in a 4-H bird identification project. Quickly this became a family project, which we all enjoyed. They began the project two years ago and still enjoy working on it today.

There are several items that you will need to acquire to assit you in this project.

  • Your local library will be of tremendous value in providing bird identification books. I suggest checking out at least three.
  • An inexpensive three ring binder.
  • Lined notebook paper and a pencil.
  • OPTIONAL- Binoculars
  • OPTIONAL- Home made or store bought bird feeder.
  • OPTIONAL - Home made or store bought bird house.
  • OPTIONAL- Birdseed if you are going to make a feeder.

First use a ruler to make columns on your notebook paper. You will need a column labeled “date“, a column labeled “place“ and a column labeled “type of bird“. You may want to add a column labeled “male or female. Male and females look very different in some types of birds and you may want to note this in your bird watching journal. Young children may want to decorate the front of their journal with bird stickers or a bird stamped design.

Although the feeders and houses are not necessary for this project, they will make looking for birds much easier. You can make your own bird house from scrap wood and plans from a library book. Remember that the size of the hole in the house will determine what type of bird will occupy it. Some birds require a perch outside of the house (below the entrance hole) and some don‘t. Most books with bird house plans will describe what types of birds will be attracted to each type of house. We have had a great deal of success with the blue bird houses my boys made in cub scouts. If you belong to a 4-H group, you may want to take the bird watching project as a group and then get local businesses to donate the lumber and nails to build the houses. If your county does not offer a bird watching project, see if they offer a woodworking project. You could make bird houses and again, solicit local businesses to donate the required materials. Many businesses are happy to donate to 4-H clubs.

Be sure to read the bird house directions carefully and find out weather the house should be painted or not. We painted our bluebird houses, but some birds don’t like painted houses.

The copyright of the article Bird Watching and Identification in Homeschool Science is owned by Lisa Hawkins. Permission to republish Bird Watching and Identification in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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