American Crow by Pedro Fernandes

Wildlife Refuges across the country are participating in Celebrate Urban Birds. Why? It's an easy, ready-made activity, all materials are provided, participants get to take home wonderful posters, no birding skills are required...and it's completely free!

 

 

Host a "Breakfast with the Birds" for families

Families can visit your refuge for a breakfast program and early morning walk. You might include a power point presentation featuring Celebrate Urban Birds 16 species of birds before going outside to collect data. Download Power Point Presentations from our Resources for Celebrating page

or contact urbanbirds@cornell.edu for a ready-made power point presentation on cd to be sent to you by mail.

 

Hold a BIG SIT

From dawn until dusk encourage the public to drop everything, go outside to a designated area in your refuge, and sit! Participants can sit for 10 minutes or for hours at a time. Keep a running list of the species seen, or focus only on the 16 focal Celebrate Urban Bird species (for beginners especially). Taking the time to stop, listen, and really see nature is a great benefit.

 

Loan binoculars and Celebrate Urban Birds Kit

Visitors to your refuge can participate in a meaningful, ready-made activity. By loaning binoculars and the CUBs Kit you'll engage families in science, nature, and service! Don't forget to collect and send us back the data forms. Encourage visitors to report when they see NO birds by using the "My Zero Means a Lot" stickers

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Landscaping for Birds Workshop

Bring in an expert to talk about landscaping for birds! Learn more about gardening for birds.

 

Integrate the Arts

Find art activities and lesson plans to help participants connect with nature. Activities include fabric collages, tile painting, bird mobiles and much more.

 

Focus on Sound

• Learn about the Urban Bird Sounds Project. This project led by students from Codman Academy Charter Public School (Boston, MA) is a model example of how to integrate technology with nature. It inspires youth and adults alike. Youth researched urban birds and created podcasts focused on the songs and calls of city birds. Podcasts and CDs  by youth are available for free.
• Learn sounds of birds by visiting the Bird Guide and listening to the sound of each of the birds. Have families go outside, sit or stand, and listen to the sounds of the outdoors. Do you hear birds? Can you draw the sounds? Can you make mnemonics for the sounds you hear?
• Explore bird sound with Colleen McLinn from Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds. Play games and learn activities that support a better understanding of sound.
• Check out mnemonics for bird sounds: http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/birdsong.html
• Check out the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Bird Quiz to learn more about bird sounds and how to identfiy birds.
  

Build birdhouses

Families can build birdhouses to take home with them. Please review our birdhouse guidelines or contact urbanbirds@cornell.edu for plans. Don't forget to let your participants know how to monitor their boxes once they set them up. It's easy!

 

 

By Katherine Smith

Host a bird art or photography competition

When you receive enough entries hold a reception and create a public display of the art/photography. Don't forget to include a youth section. Encourage people to take pictures in your refuge by loaning a digital camera.

 

Brown headed Cowbird by Sam Crowe

 

Hold bird walks

Don't forget to take the Celebrate Urban Birds data forms, pause mid-walk for 10 minutes and collect data! Your participants will be excited to be able to contribute data to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. You'll also be modeling a great citizen science project, and best of all, participants can take home kits and repeat the project at home. You may be able to accomodate special populations.  See our page of resources for Blind and Visually-impaired participants for advice on a nature walk they'll enjoy....

 

Begin a Read-Aloud Series

 

Download our Children's Books Recommendations.

 

 

Select one read-aloud book a month and get families to participate in related activities. E-mail urbanbirds@cornell.edu for a list of year-round read-aloud books and related activities. Check out our "libraries" section for ideas.

Bird Video Competition
Everyone can capture nature with a digital video camera or cell phone. Participants create a one-minute video of birds (or 'signs' of birds, gardening for the birds, habitat creation). Keep the videos short so you can feature them on your website. Hold a film "showing" at your refuge and give out prizes. Send us your winners and we'll feature them on our website.