Habitat Connections

Students learn about the habitat needs of birds, then go outside to map the habitat in their schoolyard. These maps can be used to create an online map through ArcGIS. Here are some resources that might help you create a habitat map and make your outdoor spaces more bird-friendly:

• Encourage your students that they can make a difference with our “You Can Be A Participatory Scientist” video.
• Celebrate Urban Birds is another Lab participatory-science project. It promotes appreciation for the birds found in urban areas and encourages its participants to make urban spaces more habitable for their feathered friends.
• All About Birds is an extensive, easy-to-use guide for identifying birds found in North America. The guide also includes information on the habitat needs of each species, so that you can make your space more habitable for the birds in your area.
• Google Earth gives you a bird’s eye view of your neighborhood ecosystem.
• The National Invasive Species Information Center provides information on common invasive species found in the United States. Adding native plants and removing invasive species is one way to improve your backyard habitat. Find the list of common invasive species for your state.

 Students run a migration obstacle course to actively experience some of the challenges that migrating birds face. Resources for this lesson:

• All About Birds provides information about the migration patterns of species found in North America.
• Flute’s Journey is a beautifully illustrated and scientifically accurate story of a young Wood Thrush’s first migration. It’s a great way to get your students engaged in the topic of migration.
• Moonbird: A Year of the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 is the amazing story of B95, a Red Knot that scientists have been tracking for over 20 years to document his migration pattern. He only weighs 4 ounces, but he has flown over 320,000 miles in his life.
• Here are some citations and background readings about migration obstacles:
  • American Wind Energy Association
  • Fish and Wildlife Service

Students discover the life cycle of birds and the challenges that nesting birds face by playing a “Bird Survivor” game.  They are invited to take action by participating in the NestWatch citizen-science project. Resources for this lesson:

• NestWatch is a Lab participatory-science project aimed at documenting the nesting cycle of birds. Participants track the progress of birds and their offspring during the nesting period.
• Tips for building and maintaining a nest box can be found on the All About Birds site.
• The Cornell Lab Birds Cams give you and your students a close-up view of nesting birds– right from your classroom!

Students learn about the costs and benefits of migrating or staying in one area all year through a demonstration, and then do research on individual birds. Resources for this lesson:

• Project FeederWatch is a Lab citizen-science project that asks participants to document which birds visit their feeders and when. Winter is the prime bird-feeding season because birds that have not migrated have to survive on very limited resources. Bird feeders can be a very important source of food for these birds.
• The Birds-of-Paradise are spectacular examples of tropical residents. At this website, you’ll find amazing videos, images, and other educational resources.

 Students are introduced, through videos, to a scientist who studies migrating Hudsonian Godwits. They learn about the scientific process and the nature of science by examining his work.

Students look at animated bird-distribution maps created using participatory-science data, and discover the value of models in understanding where bird species are located throughout the year. They are invited to take part in the eBird participatory-science project and explore eBird data. Resources for this lesson:

• eBird is a Lab participatory-science project in which participants spend as little as 10 minutes watching for birds and recording which species they see. This helps scientists track different bird species, especially migratory birds.
• You can find migration maps here

Through mapping and planning habitat improvements in their schoolyard or another open area, students learn about the importance of small-scale habitat management and discover the characteristics of green spaces that create good habitat for birds. Resources for this lesson:

• The Stories From the Field page is a forum for you to showcase the work you and your students have done to improve your local habitat. We also hope the stories there will inspire you and your students to take action!