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Research Temperature Effect on Bird Abundance by Corrinne Artwork Gyrfalcon by Kyle Short Essays Top 10 Reasons to Birdwatch by Ms. Sizemore's Third Grade Staying Warm in Winter by Danielle Poem Great Horned Owl by Lauren Temperature Effect on Bird Abundance By
Corrinne Abstract In this report I asked, "Will temperature affect the abundance of birds at the feeder?" I hypothesized that it was easy for the birds to find food in warmer weather, so they wouldn’t visit the feeder as much during the warmer days. After carefully collecting data, I organized it into tables and graphs. The data showed that there were no patterns in any of the graphs or tables. I came to the conclusion that temperature does not affect the number of birds at the feeder. Introduction The question I studied was "How does temperature affect the number of birds at feeders?" The hypothesis that I made was that more birds would come when the weather was snowy and cold. When the snow cover is patchy and it is warmer, it will be easier for the birds to find their own food. I chose this question because I think that the results may be important to people who feed wild birds from a home feeder. If more birds come when it is colder, then people could watch the weather; when it is predicted to be cold, they would be prepared to stock up on birdseed. If more birds come when it is warmer, then vice versa. Materials The materials I used to perform the investigation were a clock or watch, pen, paper, a thermometer, birdseed, and an outdoor picnic table to put the birdseed on. The area I used to perform my experiment was a slightly sloped piece of land with only two maple trees. There were no tall weeds or other growth on the ground. My feeder was the top of the picnic table. Methods/Procedure My method of procedure was simple. I had to go outside every day and watch quietly for fifteen minutes. Before I began watching, I wrote down the time and temperature. To count the birds, I only recorded the maximum number of birds at the feeder at one time. This eliminates the error of counting the same bird twice, but adds the error of possibly not counting each individual bird that visits the feeder. I have taken this into account while I was doing the project. Results After I took all of the data and organized it, I began to look for patterns in the graphs and tables. In Graphs 1A-3A, the data show no particular pattern for Blue Jays, Dark-eyed Juncos, or sparrows.
In Graph 4A, Mourning Doves only visited the feeder for three days, and the data fails to support my hypothesis.
In Graph 5A, the Black-capped Chickadee only came for one day, which does not give a pattern.
Graph 6A shows the total number of birds at the feeder. Even in this graph I did not find any pattern.
I organized a table that showed the number of birds for each species, temperature, and the total number of birds per day. This table did not show my hypothesis to be true or untrue. Discussion The results of this project made me wonder what, if not temperature, is making a different number of birds come to my feeder area each day? I began to think of other variables. Wind might be keeping some away from the feeder. Snow falling may make the birds flock to the site. I think that my neighbor’s feeders may have had a different type of seed than mine, maybe a kind of seed that the birds like better. It could also be the time of day. If I could do this investigation again, I would get out to the feeder at the same exact time each day. I would put more of a variety of birdseed out to hopefully attract more or different birds. I would also make the investigation over a longer period of time. Summary To sum it up, I didn’t prove or disprove my hypothesis, "How does temperature affect the number of birds at the feeding stations?" I’ve come to the conclusion that maybe temperature does not affect the number of birds at the feeder, but something else has to. Wind, other foods provided by neighbors, and snow may be other important variables affecting flock sizes.
By
Ms. Sizemore's Third Grade 10. You get to see all kinds of pretty birds. 9. You learn the names of birds that you see out your window. 8. You can learn bird songs and calls. 7. You learn what different bird species like to eat so you can get them to come to your feeders. 6. You get to see and learn about different bird behaviors. 5. There are always new and exotic species to see. 4. It’s a great reason to travel to lots of new places (so you can see new birds). 3. Putting out feeders makes your yard a more interesting place. 2. You can report your findings to scientists. 1. You get to use those cool binoculars.
By Kyle
By
Danielle Did you ever wonder how birds stay warm in the winter? Well, birds have feathers and sometimes birds will look rounder and puffier. Some birds raise their feathers to make pockets of warm air to keep them warm, and some will molt and grow a new set of thick feathers for the cold weather. At night when they rest, they stay very still and lower their temperature. Some birds, like the chickadee and nuthatch, might go in a birdhouse or huddle together to stay warm. Some might go in a tree hole or roosting box, or some birds will migrate to a warmer climate.
By
Kate
By
Lauren I'm a Great
Horned Owl I'm a
Great Horned Owl I'm a
Great Horned Owl I'm a
Great Horned Owl
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