PURPOSE:  To describe the natural history of birds in winter. 

MATERIALS: Bird feeder, bird seed, bird field guide(s), map of North American biomes.  Optional: binoculars.

INTRODUCTION: During the winter, the natural food of birds is usually scarce.  However, humans provide alternate sources of food at feeders, giving birds a greater chance for survival.  What species of birds go to feeders in winter in your region?  Are these birds residents that stay around all year or are they visitors that migrate north in spring?  You will observe, identify and count birds at an established bird feeder.  Your observations will help explain why some birds stay or migrate into your region over winter, while others go farther south for the winter.

PREDICTIONS: Use what you know about the birds in your area and what they eat to make a prediction. 

1.  Are most of the winter birds you see visitors that migrate into your region from further north, or are they residents that stay around all year?

PROCEDURE:  Bird feeder(s) have been filled with seed several weeks in advance to attract a variety of birds.

A.  Using field guides, identify the species of birds that come to the feeder.  Record your observations on the data sheet.

B. Count the number of birds of each species that ARRIVE at the feeder in a given time period.  Do NOT count the number of birds that leave the feeder.  Your teacher will tell you how long the observation period should be.  Record your data on the data sheet.

C.  List all the birds seen by the class, ranking them from most common to least common on the class data sheet.

D. Use the field guides to determine the biome where each species nests and its nesting habitat.  Record this information on the class data sheet.

E.  Use the field guides to determine if each species you observed is a year round resident or a winter visitor in your region.  Record this information on the class data sheet.

CONCLUSIONS:

2. What biome do you live in?  Which of the winter birds you observed nest in your biome?

3. List the species of winter birds that nest in a biome other than the one you live in.  Give the nesting biome for each of these species.

4. Are most of the bird species you observed visitors or residents?

DISCUSSION:

5. Why was it important to establish the feeder several weeks in advance?

6. What are at least two factors that determine how many birds come to a bird feeder in winter?

7. What are some advantages of birds staying in one region all year?

8. What are some advantages of birds migrating south in the winter?

9. Some birds like cedar waxwings, robins, and pine grosbeaks may be around all winter but do not come to bird feeders.  Why not?

Name______________________________

BIRD NATURAL HISTORY DATA SHEET

Your Data:

Class Data: