October 21, 2009

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Do you remember coating pine cones in peanut butter and bird seed, hanging them outside, and then pressing your nose against the back window waiting for the birds to come?

1. Here’s another article with lots of easy bird feeder ideas and what birds eat what.
2. A couple of years ago, we filled a few bird feeders, perched them on the railing of our deck and had a great time watching the birds come and go.  I was at a loss to figure out which birds were which until we checked out this great bird guide from the library that is perfect for beginners.  I love that it is organized by color, so when the kids saw a yellow bird, they would flip to that section in the book and then search for ‘our’ bird.

Here are the ‘Eastern’ and ‘Western’ versions of the bird guide:


3. Another amazing resource I just discovered is What Bird.com.  This site has so much bird information it can be overwhelming.  For a start, check out some of these links:

• Video on how to use their search feature to identify a bird.
• Demo of their bird sounds course.  (My one-year-old LOVED sitting on my lap as I cycled through the bird calls)
• Short course on all the parts and terms used to identify birds – Great lapbook or unit study material!
• Browse through birds sorted by everything from location and color to bill shape and what they eat.
• Build your own custom bird guide – free to include 5 birds of any family per book.  What a great final report for your unit study!  You can even add a custom cover and bind it.  (A $25/yr  subscription offers unlimited birds and books. )

Enjoy!

Do you have any fun bird-schooling stories or favorite bird study resources?  I’d love more ideas.  Thanks!

Posted under Science Curriculum, Science Websites