Guide 4B Identification
Resources
Additional activities, a behind-the-scenes gallery, recommended books, and more.
About this Guide
Life of Birds
The closest the most of us get to regularly encountering wild animals are the birds that have adapted into cities and suburbs around the world. We may feed and water them, build them nest boxes, or plant gardens that attract their prey. But they still maintain many of their instinctual behaviors; migrating with the seasons, succumbing to parasitic diseases, and communicating in ways we still do not fully understand. They may be commonplace, but they are anything but ordinary.
Lesley
Behind-the-Scenes
Winter Feeders
Keep track of how many birds you encounter in a single day: wild birds, food, decorations, movies, cultural references… It is quickly apparent that we interact more with these animals than most others.
Squirrel!
If you want a reliable animal source of data, find a squirrel’s territory and watch it at different times of day and from one season to the next. For some reason, we do not have a squirrel population on our 10 acres, even with an oak grove and plenty of nesting spots. It could be the fox or feral cats in the neighborhood. So we live vicariously through everyone else’s squirrels.
Seed Study
Set up different seeds in different feeders and record bird preferences. See if it correlates with beak shape and size.
Winter Energy
Some birders put out suet blocks in the winter as a calorie source for birds. Suet is a hard white fat made from the kidneys and loins (area on both sides of the spine right above the hipbones) of cows and sheep.
Learning Experiences
It never really gets easier working with recently dead organisms, but we try to turn them into educational opportunities whenever possible.
Replicas
For those species that are protected and uncommon, we use replicas of bones and fur. Some are so well made, they are difficult to distinguish from the real thing.
Recommended Books
The companion book to a series with amazing bird footage.
Step-by-step guide to produce high quality nature illustrations.
Claudia Nice has authored a number of useful books on capturing nature in watercolor.
Build a Library
Whether its digital or print, collect resources that assist in exploring, describing, and explaining the natural world.
Identification Product Page
Complete this guide’s products before advancing on to the next guide
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Module 4 Overview
This Guide
4B: Identification