state of illinois illinois department of natural...

State of IllinoisIllinois Department of Natural Resources

Illinois Birds

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

IDNR Education Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

Birds of Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

Unit 1

What Makes a Bird a Bird? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Home Tweet Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Birds of a Feather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Natural Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Unit 2

House Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Bird Banter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Hello, Mate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Unit 3

Moving Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Right or Wrong–You Decide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Here Today. . .Gone Tomorrow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Be a Birder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Unit 4

Educated Action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

A Closer Look

One Bird Short of a Flock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

3-D Eagle and Prey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Migration Mural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Equal opportunity to participate in programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and those funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies is available to all individualsregardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, age, religion or other non-merit factors. If you believe you have been discriminated against, contact the funding source's civil rights office and/or the EqualEmployment Opportunity Officer, IDNR, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271; 217/785-0067; TTY 217/782-9175. This information may be provided in an alternative format if required.Contact the DNR Clearinghouse at 217/782-7498 for assistance.

Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois 1/11 • IOCI 0409-11

i Illinois Birds, Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Illinois Birds, Illinois Department of Natural Resources ii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThis natural resources education program is provided by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). TheDepartment would like to recognize all the people who gave so generously of their time, talents and funding to makeIllinois Birds a reality.

Donations – 1993Illinois Conservation Park and Recreation Foundation

Pike County Quail UnlimitedU. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Illinois Conservation Police Officers’ Association

Grant – 1993U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Original Planning Committee – 1993Special thanks to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Katherine Beall, McHenry County Conservation DistrictBill Bertrand, IDNRBob Bluett, IDNR

Arnie Bock, Lake-Cook Illinois Audubon SocietyNan Buckardt, Lake County Forest Preserve District

Marilyn F. Campbell, Forest Glen PreserveAnita Descourouez, The Grove, Glenview Park DistrictPeter Dring, Cook County Forest Preserve District

Larry Dunham, IDNRJan Haake, Illinois Valley Education Service Center #9

Amy Hamilton, La Salle County Soil and Water Conservation DistrictVern Kleen, IDNR

Duane Lahti, Lake Villa Intermediate SchoolSteve Lewis, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Barb Molohon, IDNR Anne Mueller, IDNR

Karen O'Connor, Chicago Schools Recycle CenterCheryl Ridge, Lake Villa Intermediate School

Molly Shallop, The Grove, Glenview Park DistrictChristine Sherman, Burbank Park District

Suzanne Trapp, U. S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceAlexia Tryzna, Field Museum of Natural History

Kenneth J. Wilz, Crab Tree Nature Center

Original Development TeamPhil Wilson, IDNR, Project Manager

Glenda H. Burke, IDNR, Education Chief

Revisions – 2003

Kathy Andrews, IDNRH. David Bohlen, IDNRBeckie Dyer, IDNRValerie Keener, IDNRPatti Reilly, IDNR

Revisions – 2010IDNR Staff

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources’(IDNR) Education Section developed this unit onIllinois Birds for use in Illinois classrooms.Additional supplemental resources to help youteach about birds in Illinois are also available fromthe IDNR.

Illinois Birds Resources TrunkPosters, field guides, lessons, replica skulls, replicaeggs, rubber feet replicas, books and bird songsand calls on DVD are just some of the items con-tained in this “trunk.” The trunk is a large plasticcontainer filled with hands-on resources that willhelp make bird lessons more meaningful for stu-dents. IIllinois Birds Resources Trunks are availablefor loan from locations throughout Illinois. Visithttp://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education and click on“Items for Loan” to access the list of lending sitesand the trunk content list.

Biodiversity of Illinois CD-ROMsThe three CD-ROMs in the Biodiversity of Illinoisseries are Illinois-specific, supplemental, searchableand networkable. Designed in a field guide format,they contain images, life history information, sounds,Illinois range maps, endangered/threatened status,habitat descriptions and other information for more

than 1,000 species. The CD-ROMs run on bothWindows® and Macintosh® operating systems.

Biodiversity of Illinois, Volume I: Aquatic Habitats

Biodiversity of Illinois, Volume II: WoodlandHabitats

Biodiversity of Illinois, Volume III: Prairie and EdgeHabitats

Teachers in Illinois may request one set of theCD-ROMs. Send request on school letterhead tothe address shown on page iv.

PublicationsPosters, activity books, books and other items canbe ordered or downloaded through the IDNRPublications page athttps://dnr.state.il.us/teachkids/ordertype.asp.

IDNR Education Section

iii Illinois Birds, Illinois Department of Natural Resources

https://dnr.state.il.us/teachkids/ordertype.asp

http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education

Illinois’ NaturalResourcesTrading CardsThe cards andaccompanyingposters provide

images and information to be used in a variety ofways in the classroom. Each card contains animage, habitat association, common name andscientific name (where applicable) on the front sidewith additional relevant information on the backside. The poster shows the front side of each of the63 cards in the set and provides suggestions forusing the cards to help meet the Illinois LearningStandards. Illinois’ Natural Resources TradingCards Sets #1-5 are available. Teachers in Illinoismay request one pack of each of the trading cardsets and one copy of each of the accompanyingposters. Send request on school letterhead to theaddress shown below.

Exploring Illinois’ NaturalResources DVDFive videos covering the topics ofbirds, mammals, trees, aquaticsand biodiversity are included on

this DVD. Teachers in Illinois may request one copyof the DVD. Send request on school letterhead tothe address shown on this page.

Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip GrantTake your students to visit Illinois’ natural or cultur-al heritage with an Illinois Biodiversity Field TripGrant. Visit http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education fordetails and an application form.

Field Trip Tips Web PageLet the IDNR help you plan yourfield trip with this interactive site.Field trip destinations are correlatedwith topics that can be studied,

lesson plans and supplemental resources. Go tohttp://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education to access theWeb page.

Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesEducation Section

One Natural Resources WaySpringfield, IL 62702-1271

[email protected]

217-524-4126

Illinois Birds, Illinois Department of Natural Resources iv

mailto:[email protected]



v Illinois Birds, Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Family Anatidaefulvous whistling-duck Dendrocygna bicolorblack-bellied whistling duck Dendrocygna autumnalisgreater white-fronted goose Anser albifronssnow goose Chen caerulescensRoss's goose Chen rossiiCanada goose Branta canadensisbrant Branta berniclacackling goose Branta hutchinsiimute swan Cygnus olortrumpeter swan Cygnus buccinatortundra swan Cygnus columbianuswood duck Aix sponsagadwall Anas streperaEurasian wigeon Anas penelopeAmerican wigeon Anas americanaAmerican black duck Anas rubripesmallard Anas platyrhynchosmottled duck Anas fulvigulablue-winged teal Anas discorscinnamon teal Anas cyanopteranorthern shoveler Anas clypeatawhite-cheeked pintail Anas bahamensisnorthern pintail Anas acutagarganey Anas querquedulagreen-winged teal Anas creccacanvasback Aythya valisineriaredhead Aythya americanaring-necked duck Aythya collaristufted duck Aythya fuligulagreater scaup Aythya marilalesser scaup Aythya affinisking eider Somateria spectabiliscommon eider Somateria mollissimaharlequin duck Histrionicus histrionicussurf scoter Melanitta perspicillatawhite-winged scoter Melanitta fuscablack scoter Melanitta americanalong-tailed duck Clangula hyemalisbufflehead Bucephala albeolacommon goldeneye Bucephala clangulaBarrow's goldeneye Bucephala islandicahooded merganser Lophodytes cucullatuscommon merganser Mergus merganserred-breasted merganser Mergus serratorruddy duck Oxyura jamaicensis

Family Odontophoridaenorthern bobwhite Colinus virginianus

Family Phasianidaegray partridge Perdix perdixring-necked pheasant Phasianus colchicusruffed grouse Bonasa umbellusgreater prairie-chicken Tympanuchus cupidowild turkey Meleagris gallopavo

Family Gaviidaered-throated loon Gavia stellataArctic loon Gavia arcticaPacific loon Gavia pacificacommon loon Gavia immeryellow-billed loon Gavia adamsii

Family Podicipedidaepied-billed grebe Podilymbus podicepshorned grebe Podiceps auritusred-necked grebe Podiceps grisegenaeared grebe Podiceps nigricolliswestern grebe Aechmophorus occidentalisClark's grebe Aechmophorus clarkii

Family Ciconiidaewood stork Mycteria americana

Family Fregatidaemagnificent frigatebird Fregata magnificens

Family Sulidaenorthern gannet Morus bassanus

Family PhalacrocoracidaeNeotropic cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianusdouble-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus

Family Anhingidaeanhinga Anhinga anhinga

Family PelecanidaeAmerican white pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchosbrown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis

Family ArdeidaeAmerican bittern Botaurus lentiginosusleast bittern Ixobrychus exilisgreat blue heron Ardea herodiasgreat egret Ardea albasnowy egret Egretta thulalittle blue heron Egretta caeruleatricolored heron Egretta tricolorreddish egret Egretta rufescenscattle egret Bubulcus ibisgreen heron Butorides virescensblack-crowned night-heron Nycticorax nycticoraxyellow-crowned night-heron Nyctanassa violacea

Family Threskiornithidaewhite ibis Eudocimus albusglossy ibis Plegadis falcinelluswhite-faced ibis Plegadis chihiroseate spoonbill Platalea ajaja

Family Cathartidaeblack vulture Coragyps altratusturkey vulture Cathartes aura

Family Pandionidaeosprey Pandion haliaetus

Family Accipitridaeswallow-tailed kite Elanoides forficatuswhite-tailed kite Elanus leucurusMississippi kite Ictinia mississippiensisbald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalusnorthern harrier Circus cyaneussharp-shinned hawk Accipiter striatusCooper's hawk Accipiter cooperiinorthern goshawk Accipiter gentilisred-shouldered hawk Buteo lineatusbroad-winged hawk Buteo platypterus

Birds of IllinoisThe scientific name for each wild bird species found in Illinois can be obtained from this list. Bird species that areextinct or extirpated from Illinois are not included. Other species of birds referenced in the text will have their scientificname listed following their common name.

Birds of Illinois —continued

Swainson's hawk Buteo swainsonired-tailed hawk Buteo jamaicensisferruginous hawk Buteo regalisrough-legged hawk Buteo lagopusgolden eagle Aquila chrysaetos

Family FalconidaeAmerican kestrel Falco sparveriusmerlin Falco columbariusgyrfalcon Falco rusticolusperegrine falcon Falco peregrinusprairie falcon Falco mexicanus

Family Rallidaeyellow rail Coturnicops noveboracensisblack rail Laterallus jamaicensisking rail Rallus elegansVirginia rail Rallus limicolasora Porzana carolinapurple gallinule Porphyrio martinicacommon moorhen Gallinula chloropusAmerican coot Fulica americana

Family Gruidaesandhill crane Grus canadensiswhooping crane Grus americana

Family Charadriidaeblack-bellied plover Pluvialis squatarolaAmerican golden-plover Pluvialis dominicasnowy plover Charadrius alexandrinussemipalmated plover Charadrius semipalmatuspiping plover Charadrius meloduskilldeer Charadrius vociferus

Family Recurvirostridaeblack-necked stilt Himantopus mexicanusAmerican avocet Recurvirostra americana

Family Scolopacidaespotted sandpiper Actitis maculariussolitary sandpiper Tringa solitariagreater yellowlegs Tringa melanoleucawillet Tringa semipalmatalesser yellowlegs Tringa flavipesupland sandpiper Bartramia longicaudaEskimo curlew Numenius borealiswhimbrel Numenius phaeopuslong-billed curlew Numenius americanusHudsonian godwit Limosa haemasticamarbled godwit Limosa fedoaruddy turnstone Arenaria interpresred knot Calidris canutussanderling Calidris albasemipalmated sandpiper Calidris pusillawestern sandpiper Calidris maurileast sandpiper Calidris minutillawhite-rumped sandpiper Calidris fuscicollisBaird's sandpiper Calidris bairdiipectoral sandpiper Calidris melanotossharp-tailed sandpiper Calidris acuminatapurple sandpiper Calidris maritimadunlin Calidris alpinacurlew sandpiper Calidris ferrugineastilt sandpiper Calidris himantopusbuff-breasted sandpiper Tryngites subruficollisruff Philomachus pugnaxshort-billed dowitcher Limnodromus griseuslong-billed dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceusWilson’s snipe Gallinago delicatacommon snipe Gallinago gallinagoAmerican woodcock Scolopax minor

Wilson's phalarope Phalaropus tricolorred-necked phalarope Phalaropus lobatusred phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius

Family Laridaeblack-legged kittiwake Rissa tridactylaivory gull Pagophila eburneaSabine's gull Xema sabiniBonaparte's gull Chroicocephalus philadelphiablack-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibunduslittle gull Hydrocoloeus minutesRoss's gull Rhodostethia rosealaughing gull Leucophaeus atricillaFranklin's gull Leucophaeus pipixcanmew gull Larus canusring-billed gull Larus delawarensiswestern gull Larus occidentalisCalifornia gull Larus californicusherring gull Larus argentatusThayer's gull Larus thayeriIceland gull Larus glaucoideslesser black-backed gull Larus fuscusslaty-backed gull Larus schistisagusglaucous-winged gull Larus glaucescensglaucous gull Larus hyperboreusgreat black-backed gull Larus marinussooty tern Onychoprion fuscatusleast tern Sternula antillarumgull-billed tern Gelochelidon niloticalarge-billed tern Phaetusa simplexCaspian tern Hydroprogne caspiablack tern Chlidonias nigercommon tern Sterna hirundoArctic tern Sterna paradisaeaForster's tern Sterna forsteriroyal tern Thalasseus maximussandwich tern Thalasseus sandvicensisblack skimmer Rynchops niger

Family Stercorariidaepomarine jaeger Stercorarius pomarinusparasitic jaeger Stercorarius parasiticuslong-tailed jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus

Family Alcidaedovekie Alle alleancient murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus

Family Columbidaerock pigeon Columba liviaband-tailed pigeon Patagioenas fasciataEurasian collared-dove Streptopelia decaoctowhite-winged dove Zenaida asiaticamourning dove Zenaida macrourainca dove Columbina incacommon ground-dove Columbina passerina

Family Psittacidaemonk parakeet Myiopsitta monachus

Family Cuculidaeblack-billed cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmusyellow-billed cuckoo Coccyzus americanusgroove-billed ani Crotophaga sulcirostris

Family Tytonidaebarn owl Tyto alba

Family Strigidaeeastern screech-owl Megascops asiogreat horned owl Bubo virginianussnowy owl Bubo scandiacusnorthern hawk owl Surnia ulula

Illinois Birds, Illinois Department of Natural Resources vi

vii Illinois Birds, Illinois Department of Natural Resources

burrowing owl Athene cuniculariabarred owl Strix varialong-eared owl Asio otusshort-eared owl Asio flammeusboreal owl Aegolius funereusnorthern saw-whet owl Aegolius acadicus

Family Caprimulgidaecommon nighthawk Chordeiles minorChuck-will's-widow Caprimulgus carolinensiseastern whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus

Family Apodidaechimney swift Chaetura pelagica

Family Trochilidaeruby-throated hummingbird Archilochus colubrisbroad-tailed hummingbird Selasphorus platycercusrufous hummingbird Selasphorus rufusAllen’s hummingbird Selasphorus sasin

Family Alcedinidaebelted kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon

Family Picidaered-headed woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalusred-bellied woodpecker Melanerpes carolinusWilliamson's sapsucker Sphyrapicus thyroidesyellow-bellied sapsucker Sphyrapicus variusdowny woodpecker Picoides pubescenshairy woodpecker Picoides villosusred-cockaded woodpecker Picoides borealisblack-backed woodpecker Picoides arcticusnorthern flicker Colaptes auratuspileated woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus

Family Tyrannidaeolive-sided flycatcher Contopus cooperieastern wood-pewee Contopus virensyellow-bellied flycatcher Empidonax flaviventrisAcadian flycatcher Empidonax virescensalder flycatcher Empidonax alnorumwillow flycatcher Empidonax trailliileast flycatcher Empidonax minimuseastern phoebe Sayornis phoebeSay's phoebe Sayornis saya vermilion flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinusash-throated flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascensgreat crested flycatcher Myiarchus crinituswestern kingbird Tyrannus verticaliseastern kingbird Tyrannus tyrannusscissor-tailed flycatcher Tyrannus forficatusfork-tailed flycatcher Tyrannus savana

Family Laniidaeloggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianusnorthern shrike Lanius excubitor

Family Vireonidaewhite-eyed vireo Vireo griseusBell's vireo Vireo belliiyellow-throated vireo Vireo flavifronsblue-headed vireo Vireo solitariuswarbling vireo Vireo gilvusPhiladelphia vireo Vireo philadelphicusred-eyed vireo Vireo olivaceus

Family CorvidaeStellar’s jay Cyanocitta stelleriblue jay Cyanocitta cristatawestern scrub-jay Aphelocoma californicaClark's nutcracker Nucifraga columbianablack-billed magpie Pica hudsonia

American crow Corvus brachyrhynchosfish crow Corvus ossifragus

Family Alaudidaehorned lark Eremophila alpestris

Family Hirundinidaepurple martin Progne subistree swallow Tachycineta bicolorviolet-green swallow Tachycineta thalassinanorthern rough-winged swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennisbank swallow Riparia ripariacliff swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonotabarn swallow Hirundo rustica

Family ParidaeCarolina chickadee Poecile carolinensisblack-capped chickadee Poecile atricapillusboreal chickadee Poecile hudsonicustufted titmouse Baeolophus bicolor

Family Sittidaered-breasted nuthatch Sitta canadensiswhite-breasted nuthatch Sitta carolinensisbrown-headed nuthatch Sitta pusilla

Family Certhiidaebrown creeper Certhia americana

Family Troglodytidaerock wren Salpinctes obsoletusCarolina wren Thryothorus ludovicianusBewick's wren Thryomanes bewickiihouse wren Troglodytes aedonwinter wren Troglodytes hiemalissedge wren Cistothorus platensismarsh wren Cistothorus palustris

Family Polioptilidaeblue-gray gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea

Family Regulidaegolden-crowned kinglet Regulus satraparuby-crowned kinglet Regulus calendula

Family Turdidaenorthern wheatear Oenanthe oenantheeastern bluebird Sialia sialismountain bluebird Sialia currucoidesTownsend's solitaire Myadestes townsendiveery Catharus fuscescensgray-cheeked thrush Catharus minimusSwainson's thrush Catharus ustulatushermit thrush Catharus guttatuswood thrush Hylocichla mustelinaAmerican robin Turdus migratoriusvaried thrush Ixoreus naevius

Family Mimidaegray catbird Dumetella carolinensissage thrasher Oreoscoptes montanusnorthern mockingbird Mimus polyglottosbrown thrasher Toxostoma rufumcurve-billed thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre

Family SturnidaeEuropean starling Sturnus vulgaris

Family MotacillidaeAmerican pipit Anthus rubescensSprague's pipit Anthus spragueii

Family BombycillidaeBohemian waxwing Bombycilla garruluscedar waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum


Illinois Birds, Illinois Department of Natural Resources viii


Family CalcariidaeLapland longspur Calcarius lapponicusSmith's longspur Calcarius pictuschestnut-collared longspur Calcarius ornatussnow bunting Plectrophenax nivalis

Family Parulidaeblue-winged warbler Vermivora cyanopteragolden-winged warbler Vermivora chrysopteraTennessee warbler Oreothlypis peregrinaorange-crowned warbler Oreothlypis celataNashville warbler Oreothlypis ruficapillanorthern parula Parula americanayellow warbler Dendroica petechiachestnut-sided warbler Dendroica pensylvanicamagnolia warbler Dendroica magnoliaCape May warbler Dendroica tigrinablack-throated blue warbler Dendroica caerulescensyellow-rumped warbler Dendroica coronatablack-throated gray warbler Dendroica nigrescensblack-throated green warbler Dendroica virensTownsend's warbler Dendroica townsendihermit warbler Dendroica occidentalisBlackburnian warbler Dendroica fuscayellow-throated warbler Dendroica dominicapine warbler Dendroica pinusKirtland's warbler Dendroica kirtlandiiprairie warbler Dendroica discolorpalm warbler Dendroica palmarumbay-breasted warbler Dendroica castaneablackpoll warbler Dendroica striatacerulean warbler Dendroica ceruleablack-and-white warbler Mniotilta variaAmerican redstart Setophaga ruticillaprothonotary warbler Protonotaria citreaworm-eating warbler Helmitheros vermivorumSwainson's warbler Limnothlypis swainsoniiovenbird Seiurus aurocapillanorthern waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensisLouisiana waterthrush Parkesia motacillaKentucky warbler Oporornis formosusConnecticut warbler Oporornis agilismourning warbler Oporornis philadelphiaMacGillivray's warbler Oporornis tolmieicommon yellowthroat Geothlypis trichashooded warbler Wilsonia citrinaWilson's warbler Wilsonia pusillaCanada warbler Wilsonia canadensisyellow-breasted chat Icteria virens

Family Emberizidaegreen-tailed towhee Pipilo chlorurusspotted towhee Pipilo maculatuseastern towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmusCassin's sparrow Peucaea cassiniiBachman's sparrow Peucaea aestivalisAmerican tree sparrow Spizella arboreachipping sparrow Spizella passerinaclay-colored sparrow Spizella pallidaBrewer's sparrow Spizella breweri field sparrow Spizella pusillavesper sparrow Pooecetes gramineuslark sparrow Chondestes grammacusblack-throated sparrow Amphispiza bilineatalark bunting Calamospiza melanocoryssavannah sparrow Passerculus sandwichensisgrasshopper sparrow Ammodramus savannarum

Henslow's sparrow Ammodramus henslowiiLe Conte's sparrow Ammodramus leconteiiNelson's sparrow Ammodramus nelsonifox sparrow Passerella iliacasong sparrow Melospiza melodiaLincoln's sparrow Melospiza lincolniiswamp sparrow Melospiza georgianawhite-throated sparrow Zonotrichia albicollisHarris's sparrow Zonotrichia querulawhite-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrysgolden-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilladark-eyed junco Junco hyemalis

Family Cardinalidaehepatic tanager Piranga flavasummer tanager Piranga rubrascarlet tanager Piranga olivaceawestern tanager Piranga ludoviciananorthern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalisrose-breasted grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianusblack-headed grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalusblue grosbeak Passerina caerulealazuli bunting Passerina amoenaindigo bunting Passerina cyaneapainted bunting Passerina cirisdickcissel Spiza americana

Family Icteridaebobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorusred-winged blackbird Agelaius phoeniceuseastern meadowlark Sturnella magnawestern meadowlark Sturnella neglectayellow-headed blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalusrusty blackbird Euphagus carolinusBrewer's blackbird Euphagus cyanocephaluscommon grackle Quiscalus quisculagreat-tailed grackle Quiscalus mexicanusbrown-headed cowbird Molothrus aterorchard oriole Icterus spuriusBaltimore oriole Icterus galbulaScott’s oriole Icterus parisorum

Family Fringillidaegray-crowned rosy-finch Leucosticte tephrocotispine grosbeak Pinicola enucleatorpurple finch Carpodacus purpureushouse finch Carpodacus mexicanusred crossbill Loxia curvirostrawhite-winged crossbill Loxia leucopteracommon redpoll Acanthis flammeahoary redpoll Acanthis hornemannipine siskin Spinus pinusAmerican goldfinch Spinus tristisevening grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus

Family PasseridaeEurasian tree sparrow Passer montanushouse sparrow Passer domesticus

Sources:American Ornithologists’ Union. 2010. Check-list of NorthAmerican birds. http://www.aou.org/checklist/north/index.phpIllinois Natural History Survey. 2010. Birds of Illinois.http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/animals_plants/birds/ilbirds.html

http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/animals_plants/birds/ilbirds.html

http://www.aou.org/checklist/north/index.php

1 Illinois Birds, Illinois Department of Natural Resources

SUGGESTED GRADE LEVELS: 4 - 6

ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS: science 12.B.2b

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, classification

OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to identify the threecharacteristics by which birds are defined.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT 1 • LESSON 1

What Makes a Bird a Bird?BACKGROUND There are more than 9,000 species of birds in the world,with about 800 found in North America. More than 400species have been recorded in Illinois, and more than 200bird species have been recorded as nesting in the state.

Birds evolved from small reptiles more than 160 millionyears ago. They still share some characteristics withreptiles, such as laying eggs and having scales on theirlegs and feet. Development of the ability to fly requirednot only feathers and wings but good eyesight, a senseof balance and fine muscle coordination.

Like mammals, birds are warm-blooded vertebrates,meaning their internal body temperature is maintainedat a constant level regardless of external conditions.This characteristic allows birds to maintain high levels ofenergy and a metabolic rate necessary for flight. Bycomparison, reptiles and amphibians are cold-blooded,meaning they rely on the temperature of the air and/orwater to regulate their body temperature.

Birds have three characteristics that distinguish themfrom other animals: feathers; hard-shelled eggs; andhollow bones.

FEATHERS: Feathers are an adaptation of reptilianscales. They range in size from 0.05 inch on a bird eyelidto the tail feathers of a male peacock (Pavo cristatus)which may be five feet long. In number they range from1,000 on a hummingbird to 25,000 on a swan, and gener-ally comprise 15-20 percent of the entire weight of thebird. Feathers perform a variety of functions, such asflight, regulation of body temperature (thermoregula-tion), protection of the body and skin, attraction of matesand differentiation of species.

The feathers most commonly observed are contour anddown feathers. Contour feathers cover the body of a birdand have a strong, hollow shaft and network of hooks orbarbules (see diagram on page 2). The contour feathers

on the tail and wings have been modified for flight. Downfeathers are small and lie under the contour feathers. Thepurpose of these feathers is to insulate the bird from thecold and protect against sunburn.

Birds must take care of their feathers so they can con-tinue to fly and remain warm. Preening feathersspreads oils over the feathers and "re-hooks" the bar-bules. Even though they are kept clean, feathersbecome worn and are usually replaced at least once ayear. This process is called molting.

HARD-SHELLED EGGS: Birds lay hard-shelled eggsmade mostly of calcium carbonate. The hard shellkeeps an egg from dehydrating and allows parents tosit on the eggs during incubation. Even though birdeggs are hard-shelled, they possess microscopic poreswhich allow oxygen to pass into and carbon dioxide toexit the shell.

Eggs come in a variety of colors and patterns. Coloredand speckled eggs are laid in areas where they need tobe camouflaged. Blue or green eggs are laid by birdsthat nest in shady places such as trees or shrubs(American robin). Eggs in these locations are less visi-ble in the dappled sunlight. White eggs are laid by birdsnesting in cavities (owls, wood duck). Patterned eggsblend in with grass or small stones and are laid by birdsthat nest on the ground (gulls, sandpipers).

The shape of the egg is related to where the bird nests.The most common shape for eggs is oval. Birds that laytheir eggs on ledges need eggs with a pointed end sothey will not roll off the ledge (vultures). Round eggs aregenerally laid by birds nesting in a protected area, suchas a cavity (owls). Birds that lay many eggs typicallyhave eggs that are pointed, allowing incubation of sever-al eggs in a small area (northern bobwhite). The numberof eggs laid varies by species from as few as one for aseabird to nearly 30 for the northern bobwhite.

Illinois Birds, Illinois Department of Natural Resources 2

The texture of an egg may vary from smooth (smallerbirds) to coarse (chicken, Gallus gallus domesticus). Thesmallest eggs (one-half inch) are laid by a hummingbird,the largest (eight inches) by an ostrich (Struthio camelus).

HOLLOW BONES: Simply having feathers does notpermit birds to be creatures of the sky. Extremely light-weight bones are also necessary for flight. Bird bonesare strong and hollow, with internal braces (see diagramin Student’s Guide). Many bird bones are fused togetherwhich increases the strength of the bones.

PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES State and federal laws prohibit possession of migratorybird feathers. You can purchase feathers legally to use inthis activity at a craft supply store or in the craft sectionof other stores.

1. By displaying a feather on an overhead projector andby using a hand lens, students will discover the majorparts of a feather (quill, shaft, vane, barbule, barb).

2. After discussing background information on types offeathers, provide students with feathers or photo-

graphs of feathers and ask them to identify varioustypes of feathers. Compare an owl feather, whichhas a filled shaft and fringed edges to cushionsound, with a rock pigeon feather, which is hollow.

3. Examine cleaned chicken or turkey bones whichhave been cracked or cut open. Discuss why mostbones are hollow (aids flight).

EVALUATION1. Ask students to make educated guesses and sup-port their ideas about the purposes and usefulnessof specific types of feathers.

2. Have students list and discuss in a paragraph thethree characteristics of birds.

3. Bring a down jacket to school. Have students com-pare the warmth of a down jacket to another type ofcoat or no coat. Birds have adapted to remain warmin winter by fluffing their feathers and to not over-heat in summer by compressing their feathers.

EXTENSIONSn Invite students to attempt to crush a raw chickenegg in their hands. They'll discover it is not possiblebecause the shape of the egg distributes the pres-sure points.

n Research and conduct an experiment on how natu-ral and artificial oils and soaps affect feathers.Discuss oiled birds and how they are cleaned.

n Reconstruct a chicken or turkey skeleton and labelthe parts.

n Research the uses of feathers by humans through his-tory. Include such uses as feather pens, headdresses,pillow/mattress stuffing, clothes, art and more.

n Research and discuss the theory of evolution ofbirds and how birds are related to reptiles.

VOCABULARY

barbsbarbulecalcium carbonatecamouflagedcavitycontour featherdehydratingdown feather

incubationmetabolic ratemigratorymoltingpreeningshaftthermoregulationvanewarm-blooded

Parts of a Feather

down-curved edge

hook

parallel barbsoutervane

catch

quill

Super Close!

barbulebarb

shaft or rachis

feather tip

notch

up-curved edge

innervane

STUDENT’SGUIDE

What Makes aBird a Bird?


There are more than 9,000 species of birds in the world.More than 400 species have been recorded in Illinois.Birds are warm-blooded vertebrates. They have threecharacteristics that distinguish them from other animals:feathers; hard-shelled eggs; and hollow bones.

WARM-BLOODED Like mammals, birds are warm-blooded, meaning thattheir body temperature stays the same no matter howhot or cold it is outside. This characteristic allows birdsto maintain the high levels of energy needed for flying.

FEATHERS Birds use their feathers in many ways, such as flight,regulation of body temperature (thermoregulation), pro-tection of the body, attraction of mates and identificationof species.

Contour feathers cover the body of a bird and have astrong, hollow shaft and network of hooks. Down feath-ers are small and are located under the contour feath-ers. The purpose of these feathers is to insulate the birdfrom the cold.

HARD-SHELLED EGGS Birds lay hard-shelled eggs. The hard

shell keeps an egg from dryingout and allows parents to sit onthe eggs during incubation.Even though bird eggs are hard-shelled, they have microscopicpores that allow oxygen topass into and carbon dioxide toexit the shell.

Eggs come in a variety of colors, patterns, shapes andtextures. Colors and patterns on eggs vary dependingon the need for camouflage. The shape of the eggdepends on where the bird nests. Most eggs are oval.Birds that lay their eggs on ledges need eggs with apointed end so they will not roll off the ledge. The textureof an egg may vary from smooth (hummingbirds) tocoarse (chicken, Gallus gallus domesticus).

HOLLOW BONES Simply having feathers does not permit birds to be crea-tures of the sky. Extremely lightweight bones are alsonecessary for flight. Bird bones are strong and hollowwith inside supports.

down-curved edge

hook

parallel barbsoutervane

catch

quill

Super Close!

barbulebarb

shaft or rachis

feather tip

notch

up-curved edge

innervane

Cross Section of Bone

bone

hollowareainside supports

ACTIVITYPAGE

Oh, Bird Feathers!How many feathers are there on a bird? Many, ranging from 1,000 or lessto as many as 25,000 or more! There are different kinds of feathers withspecial functions, and each has many different parts.


Compare this diagram with a real feather that your teacher provides. Feathers are very complex. Label these parts:vane; barb; barbule; shaft; quill; and hook.

Feathers can split, too!

down-curved edge

outer ___________

Super Close!

catch

feather tip

___________ or rachis

notch

inner ___________

___________

___________

___________

___________

up-curved edge

parallel barbs



ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS: science 12.B.2a; socialscience 17.A.2a, 17.B.2b; fine arts 26.B.2d

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, classification, inference,prediction

OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to identify the four majorhabitats of Illinois and generalize how habitats provide forthe specific needs of birds. Students will also recognize thatbirds may live in many different areas.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT 1 • LESSON 2

Home Tweet HomeBACKGROUNDHabitat consists of food, cover, water and space. Thesecomponents are necessary for all living things to sur-vive. Food is the material a species consumes, allowingit to perform life functions. Cover provides protection foranimals, enabling them to nest, hide, sleep and travel.All wildlife needs water. Some drink water; others obtainit from food they eat. The area required by an animal tosurvive is called space.

At the time of pioneer settlement, Illinois consistedlargely of three habitat types: wetland; prairie; and for-est. Today, Illinois has four basic habitat types: wetland;forest; agricultural; and urban/suburban. The plantsand animals typical of each habitat type are unique.Additional variation is possible based on geographic dis-tribution and, for birds, the season.

Wetlands, which are low-lying areas filled with water atleast part of the year, support water-loving plants. Thebasic categories of wetlands in Illinois are ponds,marshes, lakes, reservoirs, swamps, fens, peatlands,rivers and streams.

Wetlands provide a variety of feeding and nesting oppor-tunities for birds. Herons, egrets and kingfishers feedmostly on fishes, with an occasional frog, mussel orcrayfish eaten. Ducks feed primarily on aquatic plantsbut may also eat aquatic insects, clams, snails, frogs,small fishes and worms. Migrating shorebirds use shal-low wetlands and mudflats for feeding areas. Shelter forbirds residing in wetlands may include natural or human-made features. Natural features include trees in swampsand along rivers and streams and cattails around pondsand marshes. Humanmade structures enhance nestinghabitats for birds and vary from nest platforms for cor-morants, egrets and herons to nest boxes for woodducks and nest cones for Canada geese.

Forests covered almost 14 million acres of Illinois priorto settlement. Now, only slightly more than four million

acres remain. Forest communities are classified by thedominant tree species. Oak-hickory, elm-ash-cotton-wood, maple-beech-birch, oak-gum-cypress, white-red-jack pine, oak-pine and loblolly-shortleaf pine are themajor forest communities in Illinois.

Forests provide a diversity of food sources for residentand visiting birds. Many species (thrushes, wild turkey,ruffed grouse) prefer fruits, berries and nuts producedby woodland trees and shrubs. Woodpeckers,nuthatches, warblers, vireos and many other birdsfeed on insects found on trees. Some woodland birdseat other animals: the American woodcock feeds pri-marily on worms; and owls feed on mice and smallbirds. Birds find a variety of shelter in woodlands, fromhigh in the trees to leaf litter on the ground, as well ascavities in trees.

Prairies once covered 22 million acres of Illinois.Grasses and forbs (flowering plants) were the primaryplants in these fire-dependent communities. Fire notonly removed dead leaves and stems, but also kepttrees and shrubs from taking over the prairies.

In the early 1830s farmers found that prairie soils weremore fertile than forest soils and began to convertprairie to agricultural land. This change, followed by con-versions for industrial and urban needs, has left fewerthan 2,300 acres of prairie in Illinois. Today, many of ourremaining prairies are in small, isolated areas, such asalong cemeteries, roadsides, railroad tracks, hilltops andareas too wet or sandy to cultivate.

Many birds typical of prairie and agricultural habitats areinsect-eaters or seed-eaters (meadowlarks, hornedlark). Populations of some grassland-dependent species,such as the upland sandpiper, greater prairie-chickenand Henslow's sparrow, have declined due to the loss ofprairie, pasture and old field habitats and are nowuncommon. Grassland birds find nesting shelter withinthe dense grasses and forbs.


Urban and suburban areas also are plant and animalhabitat types. Cities have changed dramatically overtime. What were once small communities have becomelarge metropolitan areas. The forests, wetlands andprairies that once surrounded cities have been replacedby businesses and residential areas. Trees, shrubs andother plants have been removed and replaced withbuildings, concrete or asphalt.

Even though natural habitats are lost or altered due tourbanization, new habitats are created and somewildlife species adapt and move into the area. Parks,cemeteries, golf courses, ponds and backyards all pro-vide habitat for urban birds. Animals that are commonto urban areas tolerate humans and are able to adaptto urban foods and home sites. House sparrows, rockpigeons and European starlings have adapted to feed-ing on insects, seeds and garbage found even in con-crete canyons. Northern cardinals, blue jays, mourningdoves and American robins nest in suburban yards.Juncos, goldfinches, tree sparrows and chickadees arewinter visitors to bird feeders. Peregrine falcons havebeen introduced to the Chicago and St. Louis areaswhere they feed on rock pigeons and live on ledges oftall buildings. It is important to note, though, that somespecies do not tolerate the change in habitat.Conserved areas just for habitat preservation are vitalto the survival of these species.

Many birds use more than one habitat. For instance,the American robin feeds on worms and berries fromyards but may visit wetlands to gather nest materials.Sandhill cranes roost in wetlands and marshy areas butmove to upland areas in search of food. Many birdsrequire different foods at different ages. For example,pheasant and duck chicks require large numbers ofinsects during the growing stage, but these foods maybe unimportant to the birds as adults.

The habitat picture is not all gloom and doom. Efforts topreserve and manage habitats occur at various levelsthroughout the state and nation. Habitat programsrange from national programs such as the agriculturalland Conservation Reserve Program and the NorthAmerican Waterfowl Management Plan to state effortsinvolving land acquisition, wetland restoration, prairieburns and landowner assistance programs. At the locallevel, county forest preserves and park districts areactively managing and preserving habitats. Privateorganizations, such as Ducks Unlimited, QuailUnlimited, the Wild Turkey Federation and PheasantsForever, undertake a variety of habitat projects.

PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES1. Find photographs that represent the four basicIllinois habitats. Name one example of a birdspecies typical of each area. Is it present as a nest-ing or year-round resident? What does it eat?

2. Develop a wildlife habitat area on the schoolgrounds. Use it to attract birds.

3. Make a habitat diorama, 3-D drawing or sculptureusing arts and crafts materials to represent plantsand animals typical of a select habitat type.

EVALUATION 1. Discuss the impact of urban sprawl and habitatloss on birds. Discuss bird species that have adapt-ed well to human (urban) habitat and why it isimportant for some to adapt. Are there species thatdo not adapt? What happens to those birds?

2. Have students identify their habitat needs. Whatare their daily requirements for food, cover, spaceand water? Do those needs ever change? How aretheir habitat needs similar and different from thoseof birds?

3. Have students name the four habitat types in Illinois,describe them and give two examples of birds thatinhabit each.

EXTENSION n Have students develop a variation of the game fea-tured on the activity page by adding hazard cardssuch as predators, pesticides and habitat destructionor modification.

VOCABULARY

agriculturalcoverfieldforbforesthabitat

prairieshelterspaceurbanurban sprawlwetlands

STUDENT’SGUIDE

Home TweetHome


Wetlands, which are low-lying areas filled with water atleast part of the year, support water-loving plants. Avariety of foods are available in wetlands including fish-es, frogs and aquatic plants. Shelter for birds living inwetlands may include natural vegetation or humanmadestructures.

Forests areclassified bythe mainspecies of treein the commu-nity. They pro-vide a variety offoods for resident and visiting birds. Fruits, berries, nuts,insects, worms, mice and small birds are all commonfoods for woodland birds. Birds live in the branches oftrees and on the ground. Some birds live in tree holes.

Prairies are fire-dependent com-munities of grass-es and floweringplants. Prairie soilsare very rich andhave been almost entirely changed to agricultural land.Today, many of our remaining prairies are in smallareas, such as along cemeteries, roadsides and railroadtracks. Many of the birds found in these areas areinsect-eaters or seed-eaters. Grassland birds find nest-ing shelter within the thick grasses.

Cities and towns are also homes for birds. Parks,cemeteries, golf courses, ponds and backyard habitatareas all provide habitats for birds. Animals common tocity areas tolerate humans. They even change to findfoods and home sites in the city.

Habitat consists of cover, shelter, water and space. These are all components necessary for all living things to survive.Food is the material a species takes in allowing it to perform life functions. Cover provides protection for animals, suchas places they use to nest, hide, sleep and travel. All wildlife needs water. The area required by an animal to survive iscalled space.

Illinois has four basic habitat types: wetland; forest; grassland; and urban (cities and towns).

ACTIVITYPAGE

Be a Bird! Be a Bird!Cut out the cards below. Keep the “BIRD” cards separate and shuffle theother cards together. Have the students form two lines and pass out thefood, shelter and space cards. Give “BIRD” cards to five students. Each“bird” walks down the lines and tries to match the “FOOD,” “SHELTER” and“SPACE” cards appropriate for their bird. Determine which “birds” wouldsurvive and which would not. This game board is designed with correctanswers found in horizontal rows as printed.




ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:science 12.B.2a, 12.B.2b; fine arts 26.B.2d

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, classification, datacollection, writing

OBJECTIVE: Students will distinguish the major classifica-tions of birds and the characteristics of related birds.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT 1 • LESSON 3

Birds of a FeatherBACKGROUNDScientists use keys to classify relationships of birds.Keys list primitive birds first and the more advancedbirds, requiring more steps to identify, later in the key.Birds that have similar characteristics are placed togeth-er in a category known as a "family." The major familiesof birds common to Illinois are listed below in order fromthe least to most advanced.

heron, bitternThese large, fish-eating birdswade rather than swim.

duck, goose, swanThese birds are common towet areas and usually havewebbed feet. Their eggs arenot spotted.

hawkHawks are diurnal (day) birdsof prey.

pheasant, turkeyBirds in this family have rela-tively short, rounded wings,are more apt to walk than flyand are year-round residents.

owlMost owls are nocturnal(night) birds of prey. Theirfeathers are modified to allowthem to fly quietly, and theireyes are adapted for ability tojudge distances.

pigeonBirds in this family have aplump body, small head andsmall beak. Pigeons are knownfor their "homing" ability.

cuckooCuckoos have short legs withtwo toes forward and two back.Their bill is heavy and curved.

nighthawkHaving a weak bill and a largemouth, nighthawks feed at nightby sweeping insects out of theair as they fly.

hummingbirdBirds in this family are smalland have a long, thin bill. Theycan hover when feeding.

kingfisherThe kingfisher has a largehead and bill. It feeds by divinginto water to catch fishes.

woodpeckerThese birds drill into treessearching for insects. Theyhave two toes pointing forwardand two backward.

flycatcherThese birds perch uprightwhile waiting for insects, whichthey catch in flight. Their flatbill has bristles at the base.


PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES1. Have students develop a key of classmates usingcharacteristics such as boys/girls, color of hair, lengthof hair, color of eyes, hometown and does/doesn'thave a dog. Ask the principal to come into the classand, using the key, locate one particular student.

2. Conduct a visual exercise to compare and contrasttwo birds. Using two, slightly overlapping circles, noteshared features in the overlapping section and uniquefeatures of each bird in the remaining portions of thecircles (see Example 1).

3. Use the Biodiversity of Illinois CD-ROMs or theIllinois’ Natural Resources Trading Cards from theIllinois Department of Natural Resources to findbird species to represent each family. What are thefeatures common to birds in each family?

EVALUATION1. Have students classify into families the bird speciescommonly seen on the school grounds or in a localpark. Discuss similarities and differences of the birds,such as habitat needs and how they obtain food.

2. Have students list five traits used in the classificationof birds and give some variations in each trait.

EXTENSION n Using field guides, show how birds are placed intofamilies based on physical characteristics. The most"primitive" birds are depicted first in the books.Ducks are more primitive than owls, and owls aremore primitive than sparrows.

VOCABULARY

characteristicsclassificationdiurnalfield guidekey

nocturnalpreyprimitivescientists

GREEN HEAD

QUACKS

MEDIUM-SIZED

BLACK ANDWHITE HEAD

HONKS

LARGE WE

TL

AN

DS

SW

IM, W

EB

BE

D F

EE

TM

IGR

AT

E

Example 1

STUDENT’SGUIDE

Birds of aFeather


Birds that have similar characteristics are placed in a category known as a "family." The major families of birds com-mon to Illinois are listed below.

heronlarge body; eat fishes; waderather than swim

duck, goose, swanlive in wet areas; usuallyhave webbed feet

hawkdiurnal (active during theday); catch prey to eat

pheasant, turkeyrelatively short, roundedwings; more likely to walkthan fly

owlnocturnal (active at night);catch prey to eat

pigeonplump body; small head;small beak; known for "hom-ing" ability

cuckooheavy, curved bill; two toesface forward and two toes facebackward

nighthawksfly at night to feed by sweep-ing insects out of the air; weakbill; large mouth

hummingbirdsmall body; very long, thin bill;hover when feeding

kingfisherlarge bill; dive into water tocatch fishes; large head

woodpeckerstrong beak is used to drill intotrees for insects; two toes pointforward and two backward

flycatcherflat bill with bristles at base;catch insects while flying

ACTIVITYPAGE

Make Your Own Bird!Have you ever noticed the variety of birds? Imagine that you can createa new variety of bird. What would you make?


First, decide what kind of habitat your birdwill live in. Be creative and think of an inter-

esting environment.

Second, collectsome materials tomake a model orillustration of yourbird. You can usestring, paints, blockprints, sponges,wire or anythingelse. Use your imagination.

Third, explain how your bird hasadapted to its environment. Whatmakes its bill, feet or color special?

Finally, fill in theanswer to the blanksas you document yourbird’s characteristics,habits and habitat.



ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:science 12.B.2a, 12.B.2b

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, classification, comparison

OBJECTIVE: Students will recognize general types of birdbeaks and the food each beak is best adapted for.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT 1 • LESSON 4

Natural ToolsBACKGROUND The bird world contains an amazing variety of beaks.Beaks are used for eating, defense, feeding young, gath-ering nesting materials, building nests, preening,scratching, courting and attacking. The shape and size ofeach species' bill is specific for the type of food it gath-ers. Northern cardinals and sparrows have a heavy thickbill used to crack seeds. Meat-eaters, like the bald eagle,have a sharp, hooked bill to tear flesh. American robinsand other birds with a varied diet have a bill shape thatallows them to eat a variety of foods, such as worms andfruit. The American woodcock has a prehensile tip on itsbill adapted for grasping, which allows it to probe the soiland grab earthworms.

Birds use their tongue for a variety of functions, also.Not only is the tongue used to drink, but also to hold,

pierce and tear food. Since birds consume greatamounts of food, they have a crop (sac) which storesfood until it is transferred to the gizzard. Small stonesand grit picked up with food remain in the gizzard, grind-ing the food to aid digestion. The gizzard is made ofextremely strong muscles, which in the wood duck canbreak down a whole acorn and in the canvasback duckgrind fingernail clams to aid in the digestive process.

Birds have a high metabolic rate and, to survive, mustfrequently eat large quantities of food. Small birds eatlarge amounts of food in proportion to their size.Hummingbirds must eat twice their weight daily, whileperching birds consume 10 to 30 percent of their weighteach day. Most birds must continually search for food.Only a few birds, such as blue jays, woodpeckers,American crows and nuthatches store food for future use.


PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES1. Set up eight different stations, each with a specialtype of "food" that fits one of the eight beaksdescribed. At each station you will need three differ-ent tools. Also, have a sign at each station that tellswhat type of food is represented (Station #1, fish inshallow water; Station #2, flying insects). Identifiedbelow are a selection of tools and the one (*) thatbest fits each type of food.

STATION 1: rubber erasers in a container of water torepresent fish in a shallow water area (fish-eating beak)

Toolsneedlenose pliers* (bird examples: great blue eyedropper or straw heron, kingfisher)spatula

STATION 2: popcorn or tiny marshmallows tossedand caught in the air to represent flying insects (insect-catching beak)

Toolsenvelope or fishnet* (bird examples: swallows; tweezers whip-poor-will; flycatchers)chopsticks

STATION 3:: whole walnuts or other nuts to repre-sent seeds with hard coverings (seed-eating beak)

Toolsnutcracker or pliers* (bird examples: sparrows; tongs rose-breasted grosbeak; slotted spoon northern cardinal)

STATION 4: bunch of grapes hanging from a string torepresent fruit hanging on a tree (fruit-, insect-eating beak)

Toolstweezers* (bird examples: cedar strainer waxwing, brown thrasher, nutcracker American robin)

STATION 5: large container with tiny marshmallowsto represent aquatic plants and animals (water andmud-sifting beak)

Toolsslotted spoon* (bird examples: mallard, tablespoon Canada goose)chopsticks

STATION 6: rice scattered on and in a small logwith a hole (or rice in a container with a small opening)to represent insects in a hollow tree (chisel beak)

Toolstweezers or forceps* (bird examples: woodpeckers,spoon nuthatches, brown creeper)pliers

STATION 7: bread to represent a mouse or othersmall animal (preying beak)

Toolschannel-lock pliers* (bird examples: hawks, owls, straw eagles)tweezers

STATION 8: bowl filled with dry oatmeal withgummy worms on the bottom to represent worms buriedin mud (probing beak)

Toolsforceps, tweezers* (bird examples: sandpipers, straw snipe)screwdriver

2. Divide the group into eight teams and have themrotate around the stations. From the three tools ateach station the group is to decide which is mostefficient for the specific food type. Encourage stu-dents to try each tool.

3. Afterward, discuss the beak and tool choices. Whatparticular features made one tool "fit" better thanothers? Since the straw was not used in this activity,have students name a bird whose beak would func-tion like a straw (hummingbird as a nectar-sipper).

EVALUATION1. Have students review pictures of birds they com-monly see, such as sparrows, woodpeckers, rockpigeons, northern cardinals, American crows andducks. Classify the birds' feeding habits based onthe type of bill (straining, cracking, etc.).


EXTENSIONSn In the schoolyard look for birds and set up a feedingstation with seeds, fruits and suet (winter only) andsee which types of birds visit the feeders and whattype of beak they have. Look for evidence of feedingactivity, such as a tree ringed with yellow-bellied sap-sucker holes, opened nuts, pellets or piles of butterflywings left after the bodies have been eaten. Discussyour observations with the class.

n Discuss loss or modification of habitat and theresulting loss of food supplies for birds. Include inthe discussion the fact that different species of birdsrequire specific food types and that they do not

change their feeding habits because the preferredfood is not available.

n Use the “3-D Eagle and Prey” activity to help stu-dents gain a better understanding of the bald eagleand its feeding habits

VOCABULARY

adaptedcrophabitatmetabolic rate

preeningprehensilespeciessuet

STUDENT’SGUIDENatural Tools


The bird world contains an amazing varietyof beaks (bills). Beaks are used for eating,defense, feeding young, gathering nestingmaterials, building nests, preening, scratch-ing, courting and attacking. The shape andsize of each species' bill is specific for thetype of food it gathers. Northern cardinalshave a heavy, thick bill used to crack seeds.Meat-eaters, like the eagle, have a sharp,hooked bill to tear flesh. American robinshave a varied diet and a bill shape that per-mits eating a variety of foods (worms, fruits).Ruby-throated hummingbirds have a thin billto sip nectar.

Birds use their tongue for a variety of jobs,also. Tongues are used in drinking and alsoto hold, pierce and tear food.

Since birds consume great amounts of food,they have a crop (sac) which stores fooduntil it moves to the gizzard. Small stonesand grit in the gizzard grind the food. Thegizzard is made of strong muscles. In thewood duck those muscles can break down awhole acorn.

Birds have a high metabolic rate and musteat often to survive. Most birds must contin-ually search for food. Only a few birds, suchas American crows and nuthatches, storefood for future use.

ACTIVITYPAGE

Beak PerformanceBirds perform many tasks using their beak as a tool. Draw lines to matcheach beak to its corresponding human tool. Then draw a line to the correctname of the bird. Finish the activity with a line to its proper habitat.




ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:English language arts 3.C.2a; science 12.A.2a, 12.B.2b

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, classification, prediction,interpretation

OBJECTIVE: Students will identify the various kinds of naturalmaterials used in making a nest and evaluate the amount ofeffort expended.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT 2 • LESSON 1

House PlansBACKGROUND Birds spend varying amounts of time and energy con-structing their nest. Some spend days or weeks building anest, while others simply scrape a small depression in thesoil or pile a few twigs together. Still others lay their eggs inthe nests of other birds or take over abandoned nests. It ismost common for the female to work on building the nestalone. However, sometimes the male alone or both themale and female are responsible for constructing the nest.

Birds use a variety of materials to build their nest. Theenvironment in which the bird lives influences the typeof materials and location of the nest. Some prairie birdsuse grasses for nesting material and make their nest onthe ground (meadowlarks, bobolink, grasshopper spar-row). Some woodland birds make their nest of plantfibers, twigs and leaves, and locate them above theground in the branches of bushes and trees (northerncardinal, blue jay, orioles). Other woodland birds nest onthe ground (veery, ovenbird).

Some birds locate their nest inside a tree cavity(nuthatches, woodpeckers, eastern bluebird, easternscreech owl). Whip-poor-wills, nighthawks and killdeerlay their eggs directly on the ground. Urban birds maynest in chimneys, eaves, stop lights and business signs(chimney swift, house sparrow, European starling).Some wetland birds may construct nests on floatingmats of vegetation (American coot, pied-billed grebe,rails). Some birds, like the great horned owl, do not buildtheir own nest but use an abandoned nest of anotherbird (Cooper's hawk, American crow) or mammal (squir-rels). Brown-headed cowbirds also do not make theirown nests but parasitize other birds' nests.

Nesting materials may include mosses, lichens, plantseeds, hair, snake skins and feathers. Chimney swiftsuse their own saliva as binding material for nests. Somebirds use mud to hold nesting materials together (barnswallow, American robin). Birds also use a variety ofhumanmade items for nests, such as yarn, plastic strips,string, paper and aluminum foil.

Eggs are laid over a period of many days. A nest ofeggs is called a clutch. Egg coloration and patterningcan be the means of protectingeggs while the parent is away(Unit 1, Lesson 1). Most birdsproduce many eggs with eachnesting cycle. Production of asurplus is necessary as manyeggs and young do not surviveto adulthood.

The time from when the last egg is laid until the last eggis hatched is called the incubation period. The length oftime for incubation varies among species of birds from10 days to 12 weeks.

Hatching takes several hours and may even take days.Chicks use their egg tooth, a bony tip on the top of theirbill, to break through the shell. This period of time iscalled "pipping." They start pecking at the blunt end ofthe shell where the air sac is located. Chicks have aspecial "hatching" muscle to help them with this task,and they take many rest breaks.

Care and protection of young birds is a time-consumingprocess. Some chicks are born fully feathered and ableto see (precocial). They follow their parent and feedthemselves soon after hatching. For example, chicks ofthe ring-necked pheasant and northern bobwhite are

wild turkey

woodpeckerhawk

eastern bluebird(inside humanmade box)

types of nests


precocial (independent).Other birds are born withtheir eyes closed andwithout feathers. Thesebirds remain in the nest tobe fed by a parent. Birdssuch as the Americanrobin and blue jay arealtricial (dependent).Some birds are able tomove their young, usingtheir legs, beak or talons, if danger arises.

Raising chicks is an endless, daily chore for the parents,with nonstop flights to gather food and clean the nest. Inorder to survive, some chicks must eat half their bodyweight in food each day and may eat thousands ofinsects before leaving the nest. Some birds are able toproduce several broods of young each year.

PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES:1. Build a Nest: Ask each student to collect three differ-ent kinds of materials from outdoors and bring toschool the next day, keeping materials in separatebags. Give them suggestions for the types of materials(grass clippings, leaves, sticks, string, pine needles,dead weeds, dirt, fur from their dog or cat) they arelooking for, but do not tell them how they will be used.

Ask each student to make a bird nest. First, studentsshould determine the type of bird they represent andthe size of their eggs in relation to the size of thenest. In class have each student build a nest usingtheir materials. To build appreciation for the skill andcraftsmanship involved with nest construction, chal-lenge students to use only two fingers, simulating thebeak of a bird. Glue may be used to bond materials.Mud nests make a good outdoor group project.

EVALUATION 1. Have each student discuss the selection and useof the materials in the nest. How is the nest heldtogether? Where is the nest located in relationshipto the ground? Study and compare various typesof nests.

2. Discuss the advantage of having a nest on theground, by the water, in a cavity or in a tree. What is

the disadvantage of each? What are the advantagesand disadvantages of not building a nest?

EXTENSIONS n Hatch domestic eggs (duck or chicken) in an incuba-tor in your classroom. Work with a local farmer toobtain eggs and, as a class trip, return the hatchlingsto the farm.

n Explore how toxins affect eggs. Soak an egg invinegar for two days. The eggshell will dissolve.Compare this to toxins, such as DDT, that haveimpacted birds (Unit 3 Lesson 3).

n Locate and count but DO NOT COLLECT OR DIS-TURB the different kinds of bird nests found outside.Which bird lives in each type of nest? How is thenest made? How far off the ground is it? Try to leavethe habitat undisturbed so predators cannot followyour trail.

n Have each student paint a paper egg shape tocamouflage it for a particular type of setting (tree,gravel, field, sand, etc.) and then go to such areasto see if the camouflage works.

n Watch a bird build a nest. How many days does ittake? How far does it fly to gather material? Afterwatching the bird for a few hours, calculate thenumber of trips per day or per hour. Determine thetotal number of trips necessary to complete con-struction. Calculate the total distance flown.

VOCABULARY

altricialbroodcamouflagecavityclutchegg tooth

environmentincubationparasitizepippingprecocialtoxin

American goldfinch fledgling

depression nest

STUDENT’SGUIDEHouse Plans


Birds spend varying amounts of time and energy constructing their nest. Some spend days orweeks building a nest, while others simply scrape a small depression in the soil or pile a fewtwigs together.

Birds use a variety of materials to build their nest. The area the bird lives in determines the typeof nesting materials used and the location of the nest. Some prairie birds use grasses for nestingmaterial and make their nest on the ground. City birds may nest in chimneys, stop lights and busi-

ness signs. Some wetland birds may construct nests on floatingmats of vegetation.

Some woodland birds make their nest of plant fibers, twigsand leaves. Some locate their nest above the ground in the

branches of bushes and trees, while others nest on the groundor inside a tree cavity. Some birds, like the great horned owl,do not build their own nest but use the old nest of other ani-mals. Brown-headed cowbirds also do not make their own nest

but lay their eggs in other birds' nests.

Birds use a variety of natural materials in their nest such asmosses, mud, lichens, plant seeds, hair, snake skins and feathers.

They may also use humanmade items in nests, such as yarn, plasticstrips, string, paper and aluminum foil.

Eggs are laid over many days. A nestof eggs is called a clutch. The time from when the lastegg is laid until the last egg is hatched is called theincubation period. Hatching may take several hours oreven days.

Care and protection of young birds takes a lot of time.Some chicks are born fully feathered and able to see(precocial). Ring-necked pheasant chicks are able to fol-low their parent and feed themselves soon after hatching.Other birds are born with their eyes closed and withoutfeathers (altricial). American robins remain in the nest tobe fed by a parent.

Raising chicks is an endless, daily chore for the parents.Nonstop flights are made to gather food and clean thenest. To survive, some chicks must eat half their bodyweight in food each day. Some may eat thousands ofinsects before they leave the nest.

ACTIVITYPAGE

No Place LikeHome

Birds build nests to have a place to lay their eggs and raise young whileprotecting them from the weather, predators and other hazards. Matchthe birds to the right kind of nest. Think about the many dangers in abird’s daily life. Write a newspaper ad to describe how habitat damageaffects birds.




ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:science 12.B.2a

SKILLS/PROCESSES: mapping, observation, communication,data collection

OBJECTIVE: Students will recognize some bird songs ofcommon Illinois species and the importance and differencesbetween songs and calls.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT 2 • LESSON 2

Bird BanterBACKGROUND Communication is important to birds, especially in habi-tats where vegetation impedes vision, such as forests,grasslands and wetlands. Birds communicate by vocal-izations, such as songs and calls, other noises, like tap-ping and drumming, and behaviors such as courtshipflights and dances.

Songs are specific patterns of notes repeated with fewvariations. They are used to attract mates and mark theterritory necessary for production and rearing of young.Birds use the peaceful "war of words" to settle boundarydisputes, instead of the dangerous "war of weapons"people sometimes use.

Each species has its own specific song or songs. Somebirds have over a dozen calls and songs (northern cardi-nal). Some birds are able to mimic the songs of otherbirds (gray catbird, northern mockingbird), humans andour products (European starlings can imitate a caralarm). Just like humans, bird songs have regionaldialects. Some birds are born knowing how to sing.

Others must listen to calls of adult birds of their kind andpractice the calls before perfecting them.

When alerting others of danger, birds call. Calls are alsomade when feeding or migrating. Precocial (indepen-dent) young communicate with their parents through alocation call. When a covey of northern bobwhite is splitup, they locate each other and rejoin the group througha gathering call.

Birds do not have vocal cords. To produce sounds, vibra-tions are sent across the syrinx (voice box) of a bird.The more muscles a bird has attached to the syrinx, themore vocalizations it can make. For instance, northernmockingbirds have many muscles and can produce avariety of sounds, while rock pigeons' singular pair ofmuscles results in only the single "coo" sound.

A variety of other types of communications are used bybirds. Hungry nestlings peck at their parents' beak oropen their mouth widely to beg for food. Male ruffedgrouse "drum" and greater prairie-chickens "boom" toattract a mate. Sandhill cranes and American wood-cocks have elaborate mating dances and flights. A male

blue jay song pattern

northern bobwhite


wild turkey will spread its tail and drop and "rattle" itswings to attract a mate.

Communication is very important to birds. Without commu-nication, many birds would starve, lose their way duringmigration or be unable to defend a territory or find a mate.

PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES1. Learn to attract birds with sound. One of the easiestsounds you can make is to suck on the back of yourhand, which will attract chickadees.

2. Listen to the audio section of these lessons, use theBiodiversity of Illinois CD-ROM series and/or theaudio CD-ROMs in the Illinois Birds ResourcesTrunk from the Illinois Department of NaturalResources or borrow or purchase audio CD-ROMsthat contain bird songs and calls. Learn the songsand calls of a variety of species.

EVALUATION1. After listening to bird call tapes, take students out-doors and identify bird songs and calls. Have aclass bird sounds contest, seeing who can call like arobin or caw like a crow.

2. Test the students to see if they can recognize thecalls of species you’ve studied. For hearing-impairedstudents, describe the calls in words.

EXTENSIONS n Bring a duck/goose call from home and have chil-dren share examples of the sounds they can make.Sanitize the call, if shared.

n Visit a nature center where a naturalist can escortyou on a bird walk and point out birds and calls.Featured birds may include chickadees, northerncardinals, European starlings, meadowlarks, ducksand geese.

VOCABULARY

boomingcallcoveydrumming

migrationprecocialsongsyrinx

wild turkey

meadowlark

STUDENT’SGUIDEBird Banter


Birds communicate by songs and calls orother noises, like tapping and drumming.Courtship flights and dances are other waysbirds communicate.

Songs are specific patterns of notes repeatedwith few variations. Songs are used to attractmates and mark the territory necessary to raiseyoung. Each species has its own specific songor songs. Some birds have over a dozen callsand songs (northern cardinal). Some birdsare able to mimic the songs of other birds(gray catbird, northern mockingbird), humansand car alarms (European starling). Somebirds are born knowing how to sing. Othersmust listen to calls of adult birds of their kindand practice the calls before perfecting them.

When alerting others of danger, birds call.Calls are also made when feeding ormigrating. Precocial (independent) youngcommunicate with their parents through alocation call. When a covey of northern bob-white is split up, they locate each other andrejoin the group through a gathering call.

Birds do not have vocal cords. To producesounds, vibrations are sent across the syrinx(voice box) of a bird. The more muscles a birdhas attached to the syrinx, the more sounds itcan make. For instance, northern mockingbirdshave many muscles and can produce a varietyof sounds, while rock pigeons’ singular pair ofmuscles results in only the single "coo" sound.

A variety of other types of communicationsare used by birds. Hungry nestlings peck attheir parents' beak or open their mouthwidely to beg for food. Male ruffed grouse"drum" and greater prairie-chickens "boom"to attract a mate. Sandhill cranes andAmerican woodcocks have elaborate matingdances and flights. A male wild turkey willspread its tail and drop and "rattle" its wingsto attract a mate.

Communication is very important to birds.Without communication, many birds wouldstarve, lose their way during migration or beunable to defend a territory or find a mate.

blue jay

blue jay song pattern

ACTIVITYPAGE

Bird BanterIf you were a bird and wanted to defend your territory or attract a mate,you might break out in song. Birds call out to alert others of danger.Read the following instructions to play this bird song game.




ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:science 12.B.2a

SKILLS/PROCESSES: grouping, communications, problem-solving, decision-making, role-playing, reasoning, observation,classification, inference

OBJECTIVE: Students will describe the function of birdcourtship and recognize that courtship and mating consumea great amount of time and energy.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT 2 • LESSON 3

Hello, MateBACKGROUNDMost birds are passerines (perching or songbirds).These small birds migrate great distances each year.Passerines have a short life span and seek a new mateeach year; thus, song is very important in attracting amate. The beautiful songs and colorful feathers of malesare used to establish and protect territory and attractand compete for females.

Many females are drab in color, usually to camouflagethem while on the nest. Some species, however, lacksexual dimorphism, meaning the males and femalesappear the same. Blue jays, American crows and chick-adees are three bird species which lack sexual dimor-phism.

In the courtship ritual, birds need to seek out their ownspecies. Males establish a territory and call females tolure them in to mate with them. Mating is a very tiringprocedure to birds in terms of energy expense.

Most pairs of birds remain together throughout the

breeding season. Greater prairie-chickens and ruffedgrouse meet, mate and separate. Ruby-throated hum-mingbirds remain together only a few days, while ducksremain together until incubation begins. A few birdspecies, such as Canada geese, mate for life.

Most birds (songbirds, ducks, ring-necked pheasant)mate a year after hatching. Geese, hawks, owls andswifts mate at two years of age, with some of the largebirds of prey mating for the first time at four or moreyears of age.

Many adults that produce several broods each yearreceive assistance in raising young from offspring ofearly-season nests (rails, barn swallow). Birds slow toreach maturity may help mated pairs raise young (easternbluebird, scarlet tanager).

PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIESMaterials Needed: large feathers (made of constructionpaper); noisemakers (party favors, whistles, kazoos);long pieces of several types of bright and dark fabric tobe used as bands of coloration; handkerchiefs; referencematerial about displaying behaviors of various birds;clothes pins and safety pins to attach fabric to clothing.

1. Read the "Sky Dance" from A Sand County Almanacby Aldo Leopold (Oxford University Press, New York,1949, 226 pp.) to the students. It describes the mat-ing ritual of the American woodcock.

2. Discuss the different rituals of several types of "real"birds with your group. Another example to researchwould be the spring courtship of the sandhill crane,which includes pointing the beak skyward, walkingin a circle, jumping, leaping, tossing grass, whoop-ing and trumpeting. The greater prairie-chicken andcommon snipe are other good examples of birdswith complex mating rituals that could be discussedin class.

camouflage


3. Divide the class into groups of two to four. Explain tothe students that each group is a subspecies of abird known as "Burdis humanis," commonly knownas "bird people." "Bird people" are found in differentparts of the world in small, isolated colonies. Eachsubspecies has developed its own particularcourtship ritual and display behaviors.

Each group is to design a mating ritual that representstheir colony. Things for the group to consider are:

n Does the ritual involve a dance or series of move-ments?

n Does the ritual have one or several distinguishingtraits (color, call, bands of color on any part of thebird)?

n Does the ritual involve only the male? Only thefemale? Both?

n What time of day does the ritual take place?

Give students time to develop their group's ritual. Thenhave each group perform the ritual. Have them explainwhere the bird lives and the reasons for its particular rit-ual. Challenge older students to interpret the displays ofother groups in the class.

EVALUATION 1. Have students summarize in writing the functions ofbird courtship. Ask them to explain why the birdsexpend so much time and effort in courtship.

2. How does the male of one species recognize thefemale of the same species, and vice versa? (song,markings, behavior)

EXTENSIONS n In the spring have the class watch, listen to anddescribe the courtship rituals of a bird.

n Research traditional cultural dances such as theNative American dance patterned after grouse.

n Demonstrate solitary and colonial nesting using stu-dents to represent the nests. Discuss advantagesand disadvantages of each (food supply, warning).

VOCABULARY

broodcamouflagecompetitioncourtshipdimorphismenergy expense

incubationmating ritualpasserinespeciesterritory

red-eyed vireo

STUDENT’SGUIDEHello, Mate


Song is very important in the attraction of a mate for

birds that have a short life span and seek a new mate

each year. The beautiful songs and colorful feathers of

males are used to establish and protect territory and

attract females. Many females are drab in color, usually

to camouflage them while on the nest.

During courtship, birds need to seek out their own

species. Males establish a territory and attract females.

Mating is a very tiring procedure to the birds.

Most pairs of birds remain together throughout thebreeding season. However, greater prairie-chickensmeet, mate and separate. Ruby-throated hummingbirdsremain together only a few days. Ducks remain togetheruntil incubation begins. Canada geese mate for life.

Most birds mate when they are one year old. Somespecies wait two to four years to mate (geese, baldeagles). Some birds hatch several broods each year.These parents may get help raising young from early-season offspring.

northern shovelers

ACTIVITYPAGE

Hello, MateMake one copy of this page. Cut out the cards and distribute one to eachstudent. The students move around the class and compare clues untilthey think they’ve found their correct mate. Students share with the classwho they think their bird match is and explain why.

Note to teacher: Consult this complete sheet for the answers. Matchingcards are printed in left/right pairs. If additional clues are needed, printhalf of the bird name on each card of the pair.


RED-

BELL

IED

WOO

DPEC

KER CHIM

NEY SWIFT

BALD

EAG

LE

“I live in trees and get insects outof trees with my sharp beak. Mytail is stiff and serves to prop meup as I move up and down the tree.”

“I love to eat insects and have avery hard bone on my foreheadthat keeps me from getting aheadache when I get my lunch.”

“I am a very small bird and makemy nest in a chimney of a house.”

“I have a very small house that Imake with my mate and if thereare no other places for our nest,we build it in part of people’s houses.”

“I am a very large bird and makean enormous nest in the top of a tree.”

“I am a symbol of the UnitedStates, and my nest in a treetopcan be 10 feet wide and 10 feet high!”

GREATBLUE HERON

“I have long legs and eat "shesand other wetland species.”

“Look at my lovely plumes hangingfrom my neck. I migrate in thespring and summer and live inwetlands.”

WOO

D DU

CK “I live in wetlands. I eat plants andhave short legs and webbed feet.”

“Check out my fabulous colorsand my handsome crest! I nest inhollow trees in wetlands.”

EUROPEANSTARLING

“I nest in hollow trees. I am one ofthe most successful species onearth, but many people don’t likeme because I’m noisy.”

“I’m a noisy, small bird with anattractive feather coat whichre#ects iridescent colors. I canimitate the beautiful songs ofdozens of birds.”

CEDA

R W

AXW

ING

“I get my name from the red waxytips on my wings. I am usually in a#ock with others of my species.”

“Large #ocks of us can be seenfeeding on the fruits of treeseach fall.”

OWL

“I have good night vision, so Ihunt for my food at night.”

“I can turn my head 3/4 of the wayaround so I can almost see behindme. I #y nightly on silent wings tocatch mice and other nocturnalspecies.”

YELL

OW-B

ELLI

EDSA

PSUC

KER “I am a winter resident in Illinois and

peck neat horizontal rows in the barkof trees. I eat the inner bark of thetree and return later to eat the sap.”

“I am a type of woodpecker. Myname describes both the color ofmy belly and my preferred food.”

WHITE-BREASTED

NUTHATCH

“Watch me move head"rst downthe tree. I "nd foods that otherbirds have missed.”

“I am a cavity-nesting bird andhave a different view of life thanother birds.”

BLAC

K-CA

PPED

CHIC

KADE

E “I eat several hundred insect eggseach day. Look for me hangingupside down.”

“I call out my name. I am one ofthe smallest birds in the woods,but I am noisy and fun to watchas I hang upside down.”

NORTHERNCARDINAL

“My mate and I both have a creston our head, but I am red. I live inIllinois year-round, and peoplethink I look pretty against the snow.”

“I am brown and have a crest onmy head. I use my heavy seed-eating bill to gather foodthroughout the year.”

RED-

WIN

GED

BLAC

KBIR

D

BROWN-HEADED

COWBIRD

“I don’t look anything like my mate.I am the male and am black withbright red shoulder patches. Lookfor me in wet areas.”

“I am drab compared to my matebut that helps me protect my nestand young. I often build my nest incattails.”

“People call me the buffalo birdbecause I followed herds of buffaloto eat the ticks off their backs.Many people don’t like the way I nest.”

“I am a nest parasite, whichmeans I look for nests of otherbirds and lay my eggs there so Idon’t have to care for my young.”

HOUS

ESP

ARRO

W

ROCK PIGEON

“We’ve only been in North Americafor about 150 years but havebecome one of the most commonbird species.”

“We’ve really made ourselves athome in this new land! Somepeople don’t like us because wetake nesting sites from somenative species.”

“My natural habitat was clif fs androcky ledges, but I do very wellliving on the ledges of citybuildings and bridges.”

“I have been domesticated by manfor thousands of years. I can #ymore than 80 miles an hour butstill like to live downtown.”



ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:English language arts 3.C.2a; science 12.A.2b; social sci-ence 17.A.2b

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, inference, prediction

OBJECTIVE: Students will recognize why some birdsmigrate, describing the complex processes, and identify thehazards encountered during migration.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT 3 • LESSON 1

Moving DayBACKGROUNDMore than one-third of the world's birds migrate.Migration is a mechanism which allows birds to adapt tochanges in the environment. Generally these changesare seasonal (weather, lack of food) and would make

continuing to live in thathabitat difficult. From thesmall ruby-throated hum-mingbird to the large baldeagle, birds move fromthe area where they raiseyoung to their winterhome. Migration isinstinctive. Most birds

migrate in flocks, even if they normally live alone.Migration in groups increases the chances for survival ofindividuals.

Migration moves birds from areas with dwindling foodsupplies to warmer winter feeding grounds with moreabundant food. Only the fittest individuals will survivemigration, insuring that the strongest birds are able toreproduce.

Some birds are diurnal migrators, others nocturnal.Daytime, or diurnal, migrators are generally larger(geese) and predatory species (hawks) that navigate bysight and have few, if any, predators. Many hawks begintheir flight in mid-day taking advantage of rising warm aircolumns (thermals). Songbirds are nocturnal migrators,flying in darkness. Their daylight hours are spent search-ing for food and resting for the next leg of their trip.

The urge to migrate may be stimulated by a variety offactors. Changes in the angle and amount of light rayswhich occur seasonally may trigger migration. Low pres-sure areas in the fall trigger a southward migration,while high pressure areas in the spring encouragemovement to the north. The lack of food sources in thefall and winter may also send birds toward areas wherefood supplies are more readily available.

The ability of birds to migrate great distances and returnto the same general vicinity year after year is a subjectwhich has fascinated people for centuries. Diurnalmigrators fly along broad air routes established by phys-ical features such as major rivers, coastlines, mountainsand lakes. Many birds use the Mississippi River as a fly-way. The position of the stars and moon and the earth'smagnetic field are used by nocturnal migrators.

Birds encounter many hazards during their migration.Nocturnal and low-flying migrants risk flying into anassortment of humanmade objects such as tall build-ings, power lines and towers, windows and aircraft.Hunting seasons are established for some species(ducks, geese, mourning doves) during the fall migra-tion. Even though birds are harvested, hunting is withinlimits that a population can withstand. Predatoryspecies, such as hawks, are often migrating at the sametime that songbirds do. Habitat destruction and pollutionare serious migrational hazards. Destruction and pollu-tion of the northern breeding grounds affect springmigrations. Likewise, peoples' actions on southern feed-ing grounds, such as tropical deforestation, result in thedeath of untold numbers of birds. Late snow and icestorms and severe rain and lightning which occur on thespring breeding grounds also kill many migrants.

hawk

nocturnal migration


PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES1. Write a story or develop a journal entry with theauthor being a migrating bird. Include illustrations.Some suggested points to include are:

n the urge to fly;

n numbers of birds preparing for migration; mostlyyoung, inexperienced flyers that may not completethe migration;

n eating like crazy to increase fat reserves;

n waiting for proper weather (low pressure--rain andcold) to head south;

n losses of flock before heading south due to pre-dation, starvation, poisons, etc.;

n cruising at heights around 4,000 feet and appear-ing on airport radar screens;

n flying at speeds up to 30 mph and distances of270 miles per day;

n reviewing a map and selecting resting locationsthat include food and cover;

n hazards encountered during flight such as powerlines and ice storms;

n arrival on the winter grounds (where, when, loss-es occurring due to starvation, loss of habitat,predation and hunting).

EVALUATION 1. In a written report, students will explain how andwhy birds migrate and the hazards encountered dur-ing the trip.

EXTENSIONSn Research other migratory animals such as bats,monarch butterflies and salmon. Compare why,when and how each migrates.

n Complete some or all of the activities from the OneBird—Two Habitats unit.

n Complete the “Migration Mural” activity.

VOCABULARY

diurnalflywaymigrationnocturnalpredationthermals

migratory bird flyways

Pacific Flyway

Central Flyway

Mississippi Flyway

Atlantic Flyway

STUDENT’SGUIDEMoving Day


More than one-third of the world's birds migrate. Migrationis an instinct triggered by seasonal changes in weatherand lack of food.

What causes the urge to migrate? Changes in the angleand amount of sunlight may trigger migration. Low pres-sure areas in the fall trigger a southward migration.High pressure in the spring encourages movement tothe north. A lack of food in the fall and winter may alsosend birds toward areas where food supplies are morereadily available.

Birds migrate during the day or night. Daytime, or diur-nal, migrators are generally larger (geese) or are preda-tors (hawks). These birds navigate by sight and havefew, if any, predators. Songbirds migrate in darkness(nocturnal). Their daylight hours are spent searching forfood and resting for the next leg of their trip.

The ability of birds to migrate great distances andreturn to the same general area year after year is a

subject which has fascinated people for centuries.Diurnal migrators fly along broad air routes establishedby physical features such as major rivers, coastlines,mountains and lakes. The position of the stars andmoon and the earth's magnetic field are used by noc-turnal migrators.

Birds encounter many hazards during their migration.Nocturnal and low-flying migrants risk flying intohumanmade objects such as tall buildings, powerlines and towers, windows and aircraft. Songbirdsmay encounter predators (hawks) migrating at thesame time. Habitat destruction and pollution are alsomigrational hazards.

Storms during migration kill migrant birds. Hunting sea-sons are established for some species (ducks, geese,mourning doves) during the fall migration. Even thoughbirds are harvested, hunting is only allowed within limitsthat a population can withstand.

migratory bird flyways

Pacific Flyway

Central Flyway

Mississippi Flyway

Atlantic Flyway

ACTIVITYPAGE

Migration MazeWhen birds migrate great distances there are many natural and human-made obstacles in their path. Can you find your way from start to finishand avoid the hazards along the way?




ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:English language arts 4.B.2b; mathematics 10.A.2a; sci-ence 13.B.2e, 13.B.2f; social science 17.A.2b, 17.C.2c

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, prediction, communica-tion, mapping, graphing

OBJECTIVE: Students will recognize how the actions of peo-ple have altered habitats and impacted wildlife populations.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT 3 • LESSON 2

Right or Wrong – You DecideBACKGROUND Natural threats (predation, drought, lack of food, dis-ease) to populations of wildlife are minimal when com-pared to the threats caused by humans (acid rain, intro-duced species, selling of bird parts, egg collecting, habi-tat destruction, domestic pets). Human presence anduse of the land has caused the extinction of somespecies (passenger pigeon Ectopistes migratorius,Carolina parakeet Conuropsis carolinensis), while otherspecies have benefitted from human presence and theirnumbers increased (rock pigeon, European starling).Population levels of other species, such as the wildturkey, dropped following settlement, but have rebound-ed dramatically as a result of people's ability to managethe species and preferred habitats.

One cannot open a newspaper or watch the eveningnews without seeing accounts on the environment. Toooften that news is saddening: an oil spill killing marinelife for miles; leaky underground storage tanks affectingwater supplies; acres of quality habitat falling under thebulldozer; or the thinning of the ozone layer. We do havethe power to change those stories!

Conservation of our natural resources iscritical. One component of conservation ispreservation of habitat and reversal andmodification of actions that degrade ordestroy quality habitat. Long-term planningand cooperation between the public andprivate sector must become the norm.

Conservation of natural resources mayentail passage of laws. The IllinoisWildlife Code contains laws which pro-tect natural resources, regulate theharvest of game species and specifyfines for the illegal harvest or posses-sion of natural resources. For instance,it is illegal to possess wild birds (except the housesparrow, European starling and rock dove) and parts of

birds (nests, eggs, feathers) unless taken legally by hunt-ing or as authorized in a permit issued by the IllinoisDepartment of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish andWildlife Service. Nature centers that have displays ofwildlife have obtained both state and federal permitsallowing possession of animals for educational purposes.

Regulations to protect birds are also passed at thenational level. Birds don't know about the artificialboundaries made to distinguish states and nations. TheU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for thesemigratory species. Through the Mississippi FlywayCouncil and Technical Section, the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService works with state agencies to establish guide-lines for harvest and protection of waterfowl based ondetailed population and habitat analyses. The U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service is also responsible for designationand protection of species considered threatened orendangered at the national level.

Individuals play an important role in the conservation ofnatural resources. Citizens report to law enforcementofficials thousands of natural resources violations eachyear. Passing legislation to further protect and managenatural resources requires citizen support and lobbying.Boycotting the purchase of wild-captured parrots andfinches is a way people can assist in protecting theseresources. Through hunting licenses, habitat stamp pur-chases, nongame check-offs and taxes, citizens alsosupport public agencies that manage and preserve nat-ural resources. Many people support conservation ofnatural resources through membership in private organi-zations dedicated to the purchase and management ofhabitats. Even something as simple as leaving whatappears to be orphaned wildlife alone, practicing organicfarming or using environmentally-friendly pesticides areimportant citizen roles.

PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES1. Using information gained from previous lessons,mark off four areas as different "habitat types" with


yarn and assign each student a bird type. Haveappropriate "birds" enter their habitat. Give each"bird" an ample supply of "food" (small, inedibleobjects). Include a story about habitat loss (reasonsfor), where "birds" die or lose their food supply orcannot survive in the "wrong" type of habitat.Students act out the "bird" roles. Make the areasmaller/larger by moving yarn and have studentsdiscuss how changing habitat size affects birds.Students should discuss the role-playing and endresults of the activity.

EVALUATION 1. Compare original land documents and survey maps(available in your County Records Office) to currentmaps of the community. Determine and map outland use changes (habitats). Have students interprethow land use changes have affected local plant andanimal populations.

2. Have each student research an Illinois bird speciesand prepare a report about it. Conduct a discussionon how the species has been affected by humanactions (positive and negative).

3. Evaluate participation in the Activity Page activity.

EXTENSIONS n Wildlife populations are valuable for a variety of rea-sons. Select a bird species and research and dis-cuss its values in the following categories: cultural;ecological; economic; educational; scientific; histori-cal; recreational; aesthetic; symbolic; intrinsic (valuemerely by existence); and ethical (right to exist).

n Research population trends of the bald eagle,greater prairie-chicken or wild turkey in Illinois. Plotpopulation levels since pioneer settlement using bargraphs to show increasing or decreasing trends.

BIRDING ETHICSn Leave nests alone and don't get close—youcould cause the parent to abandon the nestor lead predators to the eggs or young.

n Show respect for landowners and lands.Respect the rights of others observing nature.

n Leave "injured" and "orphaned" birds alone.The parent is often nearby and will return tocare for the young.

n Understand and obey hunting regulations.

n In nature, you are the guest. Be quiet andorderly. Move slowly.

n Don't "chase" birds. Observe birds from a dis-tance using your binoculars to bring themclose.

n Leave no litter. Some litter, especially fishingline, plastic soda can and bottle rings, bubblegum and cigarette butts, can be harmful tobirds.

n If you are feeding birds, maintain fresh andadequate food supplies for them. Don't feedbirds your food—they are healthiest whenthey eat natural foods.

n Don't bring predators along. Your dogs andcats belong at home.

VOCABULARY

boycottenvironmentethicalextinction

habitatintrinsicmigratory speciespesticides

STUDENT’SGUIDE

Right or Wrong –You Decide


We cannot open a newspaper or watch the eveningnews without seeing stories on the environment. Oftenthe news is sad: an oil spill killing marine life for miles;leaky underground storage tanks affecting water sup-plies; acres of quality habitat falling under the bulldozer;or the thinning of the ozone layer. We have the power tochange those stories!

Conservation of our natural resources is critical. Onepart of conservation is preservation of habitat. We mustalso reverse and change actions that degrade or destroyquality habitat. Conservation of natural resources mayrequire new laws. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service isresponsible for migratory species. This agency workswith state agencies to establish guidelines for harvestand protection of waterfowl. It also designates and pro-tects species considered threatened or endangered atthe national level.

What roles do people play in the conservation ofnatural resources?

n report natural resource violations;

n work toward legislation to protect and manageresources and vote for legislators who support it;–boycott the purchase of wild-captured parrots andfinches;

n purchase hunting licenses and habitat stamps;

n contribute to the Wildlife Preservation Fund;

n pay taxes;

n become a member in organizations that purchaseand manage habitats;

n leave "orphaned" wildlife alone;

n practice organic farming;

n use environmentally-friendly pesticides.

Can you name others?

BIRDING ETHICSn Leave nests alone and don't get close--youcould cause the parent to abandon the nestor lead predators to the eggs or young.

n Show respect for landowners and lands.Respect the rights of others observing nature.

n Leave "injured" and "orphaned" birds alone.The parent is often nearby and will return tocare for the young.

n Understand and obey hunting regulations.

n In nature, you are the guest. Be quiet andorderly. Move slowly.

n Don't "chase" birds. Observe birds from a dis-tance using your binoculars to bring themclose.

n Leave no litter. Some litter, especially fishingline, plastic soda can and bottle rings, bubblegum and cigarette butts, can be harmful tobirds.

n If you are feeding birds, maintain fresh andadequate food supplies for them. Don't feedbirds your food—they are healthiest whenthey eat natural foods.

n Don't bring predators along. Your dogs andcats belong at home.

ACTIVITYPAGE

Do the Right ThingMake one copy of this page. Cut out the cards and distribute one to eachgroup of students. After the group discusses their card, have the studentsexplain what they think they would or should do in each situation.


You see a very small nest in aclump of shrubs. Do you. . .

A. take it home?

B. leave it alone?

C. sell it to your neighbor?

You see a baby bird fall out of itsnest. Do you. . .

A. pick up the bird and take ithome to care for it?

B. leave it alone as its parents willfeed it on the ground?

C. return it to its nest by climbingup the tree?

You are walking in the park, andyou see a family. One of the chil-dren in this family throws her bub-ble gum on the ground. Do you. . .

A pretend you didn’t see?

B. pick it up after they’ve left?

C. ask them to pick it up becauseit may harm the birds or otheranimals that mistake it for foodand eat it?

Your town is considering develop-ing an area along a creek wherethere is prime wetland habitat.Some of the ideas for develop-ment include: a park with a swim-ming pool; a subdivision; a landfill;and a mini-mall. Do you. . .

A. write a letter to your city councilexplaining your concerns?

B. attend a council meeting togain information?

C. cross your fingers and hopethe adults will make the rightdecision?

You are going away during winterbreak and have been feedingbirds in your yard sinceHalloween. Do you. . .

A. let the birds fend for them-selves while you’re gone?

B. leave a map and direct thebirds to your closest neighborwho has a bird feeder?

C. ask your neighbor to continueputting fresh seed out eachday?

On a fine spring morning you arewalking your dog in the park. Younotice a lot of small birds in thetrees, an excellent indication thatspring migration has started. Youdecide to go bird watching. Doyou. . .

A. leave your dog in the car whileyou look at birds?

B. take your dog home then returnto the park?

C. continue your walk letting yourdog run free?

Goose hunting season has start-ed, and you want to provide agoose for the Thanksgiving table.You know that a lot of geese liveon the ponds at the local golfcourse. Do you. . .

A. ask a friend to scare the birdsoff the pond and hope they flyover your hunting area?

B. enroll in a hunter safety educa-tion course and ask an adult totake you hunting?

C. lure the birds to your huntingarea with a trail of corn?

You think the bird you have beenfollowing for fifteen minutes is abird you have never seen before. Ithas flown across a fence that hasa “Private Property—NoTrespassing” sign on it. Do you. . .

A. try to find the property ownerand ask permission to go onthe land to follow the bird?

B. tear the sign off the fence, buryit in leaves then jump over thefence?

C. look around the area for anoth-er bird like this one?

You are walking down the streetand see a man on the corner sell-ing beautiful parrots. You can’tbelieve that such beautiful birdsare so cheap. Do you. . .

A. ask him where the birds wereraised?

B. turn him in to the properauthorities?

C. buy a bird and take it home?



ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:English language arts 5.C.2a; science 12.B.2a, 13.B.2f;social science 17.A.2b, 17.C.2c; physical development andhealth 21.B.2

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, classification, inference,prediction

OBJECTIVE: Students will recognize that there are threatenedand endangered bird species in Illinois and learn why theyhave been given this status.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT 3 • LESSON 3

Here Today... Gone TomorrowBACKGROUNDToday, more than 9,900 species of birds inhabit theworld, with more than 1,240 species listed as endan-gered, threatened or vulnerable as of 2010. In theUnited States, 92 bird species are listed as endangeredor threatened. As of 2010, Illinois lists 25 birds asendangered and five as threatened species.

Flocks of passenger pigeons (Ectopistes migratorius) onceblackened the skies of North America for hours duringtheir migrations. Passenger pigeons were a popular fooditem in the 1800s and were killed and shipped in largequantities to metropolitan areas. By 1895 these birds wereconsidered rare. The last passenger pigeon died in theCincinnati Zoological Gardens on September 1, 1914.

Numbers of the upland sandpiper, a state endangeredspecies, have plummeted due to the loss of prairie.

Today, these birds may befound throughout the stateon dairy farms or airports,but the largest known con-centration of nesting uplandsandpipers in Illinois is inWill County at the MidewinNational Tallgrass Prairie. The

restoration of large expanses ofshortgrass prairies would provide

attractive nesting habitats andencourage recolonization.

Species are listed as threatened/endangered or becomeextinct for a variety of reasons. By law, changes to theendangered/threatened species list must be based on sci-entific evidence. Factors that are considered when evaluat-ing a species include changes in population size, changesin range in the state, whether it occurs at protected sites,any known threats to its existence, as well as features ofits life history which might have a bearing on survival. TheEndangered Species Protection Board may remove fromthe Illinois endangered/threatened species list any nonfed-erally-listed species for which it finds satisfactory scientific

evidence that its wild or natural populations are no longerendangered or threatened in Illinois. A public hearing isheld to consider the Board’s action of listing, delisting orchanging the list status of a species.

Historically, some bird species were jeopardized due tounregulated hunting. Today, loss or destruction of habitatsis the primary reason for species' declines. Some birds aregiven the endangered/threatened designation becausethey are on the periphery of their range and may be morecommon in other locations (yellow-headed blackbird).

Habitat loss or destruction accounts for a significant num-ber of the birds lost. Habitats may be destroyed through avariety of factors, includingdamming of rivers andstreams, removal of vegeta-tion, introduction of exotic plantswhich outcompete native species,and pollution of air, water andland. Wetlands have been drainedfor agricultural, industrial andurbanization purposes. Nesting pop-ulations of the black tern, northern pin-tail duck, great egret and American bitternhave declined drastically as wetlands diminish. Loss offorests has affected nesting habitat for species like thewood thrush and brown creeper.

Bluebird populations declined to dangerously low levelsas meadows were converted to other uses. Interventionby people through agricultural set-aside programs andconstruction and placement of nest boxes in appropri-ate habitats has brought the bluebird back from thebrink of extinction.

The decline of greater prairie-chicken populations is rep-resentative of how peoples' actions can compound toaffect native wildlife populations. Conversion of prairiesfor agricultural purposes removed prairie-chicken "boom-ing" grounds and nesting habitats. Unregulated huntingstressed population levels. As large areas of prairie were

uplandsandpiper

egret


broken up, an increase in nest pre-dation by foxes, coyotes, skunks

and raccoons occurred asthese predators movedalong habitat edges. Thering-necked pheasant, a birdintroduced from China, is a

nest parasite and lays its eggsin the nests of prairie-chickens.Pheasant eggs hatch earlier

than those of prairie-chickens, causing the prairie-chick-en hens to abandon their eggs to raise the pheasantchicks. Today, less than 200 prairie-chickens remain onspecially managed wildlife sanctuaries in Illinois.

Neotropical migrants, birds that spend part of their yearin North America and the remainder in Latin America orthe Caribbean, are affected by fragmentation anddestruction of habitat areas in both their breeding andwintering grounds. Neotropical migrants include a varietyof bird groups, such as warblers, thrushes, humming-birds, swallows, flycatchers and orioles. Some species,such as the Kirtland's warbler, are in imminent danger ofextinction. Others, while not as severely affected, havedeclined by millions over the last century and this down-ward trend could continue.

Population levels may be impacted not only through thedirect loss of breeding and wintering habitat but also theindirect loss of food sources. The popularity of colorfuland vocal birds as pets has created a black market forbirds. More than 80 percent of the birds captured in thewild intended for sale to pet shops die before reachingthe shop. Pesticides, such as DDT, were identified asthe causative agent for the decline of bald eagle, pere-grine falcon and osprey populations. Excessive unregu-lated hunting (passenger pigeon) and excessive use ofanimal products (egret plumes for women's hats) histori-cally threatened populations.

A variety of other human-caused actions can lead to birdpopulation declines. Thousands of migratory birds arekilled each year when they fly into tall buildings, televisiontowers and electrical power lines and towers.

However, several species are now on the comeback trailas a result of scientific studies to understand the liferequirements of the species, establishment of huntingregulations, and public involvement in programs to pre-serve, protect and manage habitats and species. Theperegrine falcon and whooping crane were close toextinction, but human intervention through populationmanagement and preservation of critical habitat areashas ensured their survival. At the turn of the century thewood duck population was dangerously low. Today, woodducks are present in sufficient numbers to allow harvest,thanks to strict hunting regulations, construction and

placement of nesting boxes and sportsmen's commitmentto the species.

PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES1. Have the class participate in one or several of theneotropical migratory bird activities in the OneBird—Two Habitats unit from the Illinois Departmentof Natural Resources.

EVALUATION1. Have each student write a report on an Illinoisthreatened or endangered bird, including its habitat,feeding habits and reasons for being listed asendangered or threatened. Use the Biodiversity ofIllinois CD-ROM series from the Illinois Departmentof Natural Resources to help you find informationabout the birds. Visit the Illinois EndangeredSpecies Protection Board’s Internet site athttp://dnr.state.il.us/espb/ for a current list of endan-gered/threatened birds in Illinois.

2. Make an atlas of endangered bird species includingbreeding and wintering areas, preferred foods andmigration routes. Use the Biodiversity of Illinois CD-ROM series from the Illinois Department of NaturalResources to help you find information about thebirds.

3. Have each student write a paragraph relating howhe/she can make personal decisions which willassist the survival chances of endangered andthreatened birds.

EXTENSIONS n Research adoption of a plot of ground, such as the"Adopt a Pothole" program coordinated by the DeltaWaterfowl Foundation. For more information aboutthis program, visit the Internet site athttp://www.deltawaterfowl.org/aap/index.php.

n Trace bird migration paths and identify areas thebirds fly through and over.

greater prairie-chicken

VOCABULARY

boomingendangeredextinctfragmentationhabitatNeotropical migrant

parasitepesticidepredationrarethreatenedwildlife sanctuaries

http://www.deltawaterfowl.org/aap/index.php

http://dnr.state.il.us/espb/


habitat fragmentation

STUDENT’SGUIDE

Here Today...Gone Tomorrow


Today, more than 9,900 species of birds inhabit the world, with than 1,240 species listedas endangered, threatened or vulnerable as of 2010. In the United States, 92 bird species

are listed as endangered or threatened. Illinois lists 25bird species as endangered and five as threatenedspecies.

Flocks of passenger pigeons (Ectopistesmigratorius) once blackened the skies of North

America for hours during their migrations. Passengerpigeons were a popular food item in the 1800s and were

killed and shipped in large quantities to metropolitan areas.By 1895 these birds were considered rare. The last passenger pigeon died in

the Cincinnati Zoological Gardens on September 1, 1914.

Numbers of the upland sandpiper, a state endangered species, have plummetedbecause of the loss of prairie. Today, these birds may be found sporadically throughout the

state, but the largest known concentration of nesting birds is in Will County at the MidewinNational Tallgrass Prairie. Large expanses of short grass prairies or open pastures such as

found on dairy farms or airports would provide attractive nesting habitats.

Why are species listed as threatened or endangered? By law, changes to the endangered/threatened species list forthe state must be based on scientific evidence. Factors that are considered when evaluating a species includechanges in population size, changes in range in the state, whether it occurs at protected sites, any known threats toits existence, as well as features of its life history which might have a bearing on survival. The Endangered SpeciesProtection Board may remove from the Illinois endangered/threatened species list any nonfederally-listed species forwhich it finds satisfactory scientific evidence that its wild or natural populations are no longerendangered or threatened in Illinois. A public hearing is held to consider the Board’s actionof listing, delisting or changing the list status of a species.

Historically, species were jeopardized due to unregulated hunting, excessive use of animalproducts (egret plumes for women's hats) and pesticides. Today, loss or destruction of winterand breeding habitats is the primary reason for bird species'declines. Nest predation, nest parasites, loss of food sourcesand capture and sale of wild birds to pet shops affect some birdpopulations. Thousands of migratory birds are killed each yearwhen they fly into tall buildings, television towers and electricalpower lines and towers.

However, several species are now on the comeback trail.Scientific studies to understand the life requirements of thespecies, establishment of hunting regulations and publicinvolvement in programs to preserve, protect and managehabitats and species are helping many birds.

uplandsandpiper

egret


ACTIVITYPAGE

Bird WordsUse the clues below to complete the crossword puzzle. Note to teachers:The word list at the bottom of the page is provided for your use. You mayelect to provide the word list to the students or photocopy the puzzlewithout the list.


Across1. A species with the potential to becomeendangered.

6. These large wading birds have declinedin numbers as wetland habitat has disap-peared.

8. Pollution here threatens birds.

9. This process occurs when large areas ofhabitat are broken up into smaller sections.

11. Eighty percent of captured birds intend-ed for this purpose die before reachingstores and homes.

12. The whooping ____ is an endangeredbird.

13. DDT and other similar chemicals con-tributed to the decline of the bald eagle.

15. Birds do it.

16. This kind of chicken numbers fewer than200 in Illinois today.

18. The barn _____ has long, pointed wingsand only spends part of the year in NorthAmerica.

20. This species is responsible for most of the reasons that birds become threatened.

22. Birds that have the law on their side are _____.

23. _____ means that no more members of the species survive.

Down2. _____ is the natural environment providing food, water, shelter and space for organisms.

3. The upland _____ is a bird which lives in shortgrass prairies.

4. Having the potential to become extinct.

5. Birds that travel seasonally take part in ______.

7. A place where wildlife is safe.

10. _____ migrant birds include hummingbirds and orioles.

13. These falcons have adapted to city life.

14. The American robin is this type of bird.

17. The brown creeper has been affected by loss of this type of habitat.

19. Some birds build them on the ground.

21. Black _____ and northern pintail nesting populations have declined drastically as wetland areas diminish.

Word ListAcross:threatened, egrets, air, fragmentation, pets, crane, pesticides, fly, prairie, swallow, human, protected, extinction

Down:habitat, sandpiper, endangered, migration, sanctuary, Neotropical, peregrine, thrush, forest, nests, tern



ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:English language arts 5.C.2a; science 12.B.2a, 12.B.2b

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, classification, data collec-tion, art appreciation

OBJECTIVE: Students will demonstrate the ability to locateand identify birds.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT 3 • LESSON 4

Be a BirderBACKGROUND Birding in America started with John James Audubon's(1785-1851) travels and publication of his collection ofpaintings of more than 1,000 birds. For the first timemost people had the opportunity to "see" many of thebirds and call them by a proper name. Birding was pop-ularized in America in the 1930s when usable fieldguides were published.

Why is birding a hobby or careerthat interests millions of people?Some enjoy the challenge of locat-ing and identifying birds and see-ing new places. Others see theirbirding time as a form of exerciseand an opportunity to be outdoors.No matter what the reason, bird-

ing is a fun sport that can be done year-round any-where for little expense. Getting started is as easy as atrip outdoors with an experienced birder, joining a clubor simply picking up a field guide and teaching yourself.

Your senses of sight and hearing are extremely impor-tant tools in birding. Observe the bird. The five basiccharacteristics used to visually identify a bird are itsshape and posture, plumage and color, behavior, habitatpreference and voice. Listen to its call or song. The bestbirders are able to identify 80 percent of the birds bysound only.

Becoming a birder requiresstudying bird habits andlearning to move quietly andslowly. When you go birdingremember to take comfort-able shoes, a field guide,sketch book, pencil andbinoculars. It is recommend-ed that beginners use 7 x 35power binoculars.

Birds can be found almost anywhere. Look in parks, for-est preserves, your back yard, school yard and around apond or wetland. The best times to look for birds are inthe morning or early evening during their feeding timeswhen they are most active.

You may want to attract birds to yourschool yard to observe them forextended periods of time. Feedingand watering stations will attract avariety of birds. Remember to offer avariety of feed to attract many typesof seed-eaters. Provide suet in thewinter to attract meat-eaters. Keep adaily record of the birds seen at yourfeeder. Over the years it becomes interesting to try andpredict when the juncos first appear in winter or the red-winged blackbirds return for the summer. Recording datasuch as arrival and departure dates is called phenology.

A variety of careers are available to people interested inbirds. Ornithologists are people who study birds.Biologists and naturalists study the connectionsbetween birds and people, assist others in understandingthe role of birds in the world andhelp people learn to identifybirds. Most ornithologists, biolo-gists and naturalists have a col-lege degree. Birds are the focusfor many famous artists, includ-ing John James Audubon andRoger Tory Peterson and writerssuch as Pete Dunne (TheFeather Quest) and Donald Culross Peattie, a famousIllinois nature writer.


PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES1. Create a feeding station with a watering source.Make feeders using recycled materials (plastic popbottles, milk containers) to attract specific birds.Remember to feed birds from the first snowfall untilspring. Suet should be placed only from Novemberto the last frost in the spring. Feeding migratorybirds in the fall may delay their migration and resultin death. Don't use metal products for wateringsources!

2. To encourage birding, teach students how to usebinoculars. To practice locating birds, make "binocu-lars" out of toilet tissue tubes, and then progress tobinoculars.

3. Visit the Illinois Birders’ Forum athttp://www.ilbirds.com/ or the Illinois Rare Bird Alert athttp://www.illinoisbirds.org/illinois_rare_bird_alert.html.These sites list the rare and notable birds seen in anarea and are updated often.

EVALUATION1. Students should identify five common birds in theirarea and describe behaviors observed throughoutthe year. Select one species of bird. Make a journalor diary and record bird behaviors and activities.Explore why a species is or is not present in a spe-cific area. Include sketches and a section for fieldstudy data collection in the journal. Bind the journaland decorate the cover.

EXTENSIONS n Take a bird hike at a nature center, park or pre-serve.

n Set up a permanent feeding station at school. Keepphenology records and, after a period of time, com-pare recent records with preceding years.

n Invite speakers from the Audubon Society, a muse-um or a nature center to discuss birds and birding.Ask for a banding demonstration.

n Go to an art museum or gallery to see birds in art.

n Read about the artist John James Audubon andhow he chronicled the birds of North America in hispaintings and lithographs.

VOCABULARY

binocularsbiologistbirdingcharacteristicsfeeding station

field guidephenologynaturalistornithologistspecies

feeding station

blue jay

http://www.illinoisbirds.org/illinois_rare_bird_alert.html

http://www.ilbirds.com/

Why is birding a hobby or career that interests millions of people? Some enjoy the

challenge of locating and identifying birds and seeing new places. Others see their

birding time as a form of exercise and an opportunity to be outdoors. No matter

what the reason, birding is a fun sport that can be done year-round any-

where. It costs little and getting started is very easy!

Your senses of sight and hearing are extremely important

tools in birding. Observe the bird. The five basic charac-

teristics used to visually identify birds are shape and pos-

ture, plumage and color, behavior, habitat preference and

voice. Listen to its call or song.

Spend time outdoors watching birds. Learn to move quietly and

slowly. Wear comfortable shoes. Take a field guide, sketch book,

pencil and binoculars.

Birds can be found almost anywhere. Look in parks, forest pre-

serves, your back yard, school yard and around a pond or wet-

land. The best times to look for birds are in the morning or early

evening during their feeding times when they are most active.

You may want to attract birds to your yard so that you can observe them for long periods of time. Feeding and water-

ing stations placed near your house will attract a variety of

birds. Remember to offer a variety of feed to attract seed-

eaters. Provide suet in the winter to attract meat-eaters.

Keep a daily record of the birds seen at your feeder.

Many careers are available to people interested in

birds. Ornithologists are people who study birds. Biologists and

naturalists study the connections between birds, their environment and

people. They help people understand and learn to identify birds. Birds are

the subject for many famous artists and nature writers.

STUDENT’SGUIDEBe a Birder


suet feeder

ACTIVITYPAGE

Feathered FriendsJournal

Use the format below as a guide to start your own back yard bird behaviornotebook. You may be surprised at the variety of birds seen in yourneighborhood or during your outdoor adventures.


Look for different species in parks,forests, your back yard andaround a pond or wetland. Movequietly and slowly. Look in themorning and early evening dur-ing the feeding time when birdsare most active.

Set up your bird journal with basic informa-tion about sightings. Leave room forsketches and notes. Feel free to personal-ize your birding journal.



ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:English language arts 5.C.2a, 5.C.2b; science 13.B.2e,13.B.2f

SKILLS/PROCESSES: writing, lobbying, group process, con-struction

OBJECTIVE: Students will apply knowledge about birds toparticipate in an action to help Illinois birds.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT 4 • LESSON 1

Educated ActionBACKGROUND According to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey in2006, approximately 20 percent of Americans are con-sidered birders. What started from a spark of interestand a following of the travels and artwork of John JamesAudubon has grown to a major outdoor activity. Birdersspend millions of dollars each year on bird seed, feed-ers, houses, field guides and equipment. That's quite aninvestment in our natural resources!

You really are concerned for the earth, but what can youas an individual do to help? Get involved! Incorporatethe information gained about our feathered friends inactivities which educate people about the environmentand the birds of your community, state and the world.

There are many organizations that work to preserve andprotect habitats and birds, as well as organizations inter-ested in cleaning up the environment. Contact the local,state or national office of groups such as the NationalWildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, AudubonSociety, Sierra Club, Pheasants Forever, DucksUnlimited, Trees Unlimited or Global ReLeaf to learnabout programs they have to better the environment.Volunteer to help with projects they are conducting inyour area. If you are not able to find a group that worksfor your cause, talk to others in your neighborhood orschool who share your interests and form your own club.

Several environmental and sporting organizationsreward individuals and groups for significant accomplish-ments. Contact organizations to learn more aboutawards programs. Apply for environmental awards forthe new and innovative projects you have undertaken.

PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES1. Work to improve habitats for birds and other wildlife.Create/plant a bird habitat or garden. Create a com-munity garden or prairie. Encourage retainingedges for wildlife on farm land. Create a bluebirdtrail with the help of a state park or a chapter of theAudubon Society.

Build bird houses. Make and give away bird feedersmade of recycledproducts. Considergiving your feedersto nursing homesand children'shomes. Provide ayear-round watersource for birds.Make sure yourwaterers arescrubbed and refilledeach day to reducechances for birds to become diseased. Place nest-ing material, such as short pieces of yarn (six inch-es or less), hair or grass clippings, outside for birdsto use.

2. Read about birds and habitats then give a talk toyour class or a club. Write letters, make posters ordesign a T-shirt or bumper sticker. Discuss whereposters and bumper stickers should be placed formaximum viewing.

3. Help with a clean up project or assist with fund rais-ing for an environmentally oriented project. Volunteerto do a radio public service announcement for thegroup. Reproduce this card or challenge students to create their own as an art project.

Have a contest to design the most environmentally aware pledge card.


4. Write for information about a topic you are interest-ed in. Form a school or class conservation club.Disseminate the information to other students andlocal decision-makers.

5. Research the animals that rely on insects, the effectinsecticides have on those populations and theimpacts of both insecticides and insect overpopula-tions on man. Discuss various insect control methodsand how to determine when control is necessary.

6. Construct silhouettes of birdsof prey and affix them to win-dows. Birds often fly into win-dows because the reflection oftrees and clouds makes win-dows appear to be openingsin the walls.

EVALUATION1. Have students write a report on the results oftheir actions. Share papers with newspapers,local decision-makers and others in the school.

2. Count the different birds that visit your feeder(s).Report your findings to the local chapter of theIllinois Audubon Society. Also contact them to learnhow you can participate in winter and spring birdcounts. You may also want to participate in theGreat Backyard Bird Count. It is held annually inFebruary, and you will find more information athttp://www.birdsource.org/gbbc.

EXTENSIONSn Read more about birds, bird behavior and the envi-ronment. Subscribe to a magazine about birds andwrite a review of the magazine for a newspaper.

n Find articles about birds, habitats or the environ-ment. Hold a class discussion about the articles.

n In small groups develop scripts and themes; thenvideotape birds in your school yard or back yard.Seek permission to show your videotapes toyounger classes in your school.

n Participate in the Federal Junior Duck Stamp DesignContest. Go tohttp://www.fws.gov/juniorduck/ArtContest.htm formore information.

n Learn about environmental policies and legislationaffecting wildlife. Write to your newspaper or legisla-tor in support of your position.

n Research the importanceof dead-standing treesand dead branches. Howmany different animalslive in these areas? Drawa picture or write a storyabout the animals livingin a dead-standing tree.

clean-up projects provide habitat

VOCABULARY

environment volunteer

http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck/ArtContest

http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc

STUDENT’SGUIDEEducated Action


Approximately 20 percent of Americans are consideredbirders. Birders spend millions of dollars each year on bird

seed, feeders, houses, field guides and equipment. That'squite an investment in our natural resources!

Use the information you have gained about our featheredfriends. Help teach people about the environment andthe birds of your community, state and the world.

Organize a project to improve or create habitat around yourschool or community.

There are many organizations that work to preserve and protect habitats andbirds. Other organizations work to clean up the environment. Study differentgroups to learn how they work toimprove the environment. Volunteerto help a group with a project inyour area. If you arenot able to find agroup that worksfor your cause,talk to others inyour neighborhoodor school thatshare your inter-ests and formyour own club.

ACTIVITYPAGE

Adopt-a-PlotWhen it comes to environmental responsibility, every little bit helps. Youcan “adopt” a small area of land and help make it more attractive tohumans and wildlife. Here are a few ideas.


Inventory the differentkinds and approximatenumbers of creatures(including insects) thatlive on your plot of land.

Pick up any trash inthe area and help keepyour neighborhoodclean.

Build or providefeeders and nestboxes for birds.

Take pictures beforeyou begin and as youprogress with yourwork and keep anotebook of youractivities.

Plant native plantspecies to attract birdsand other wildlife.

Leave piles of sticks and brush forshelter and home-building materialsfor animals.

Write an article for yourschool or local newspaperabout what you did sothat others can followyour lead.


Glossaryacre – a unit of land measurement; equal to 43,560 square feet

and slightly smaller than a football field

Aunt Grace plants a one-acre garden every spring andsells the vegetables in town.

adapt (adapted, adaptation) – to adjust to new conditions orsurroundings in an effort to survive

When our family moved to Minnesota we had to adapt tothe cold winters.

agricultural – land planted to harvest, such as hay or row crops

Corn is the primary agricultural crop in our state.

altricial – the condition of being helpless and naked whenhatched, such as blue jays and doves

The baby blue jays are altricial and hatch without feathers.

barb – the part of the feather that sticks out of the shaft;collectively, a vane

The structures that look like little hairs growing out of theshaft of a feather are barbs.

barbule – structures that grow out of the barbs of a feather;have hooks and rolled edges to lock the barbs together

Under the microscope the barbules look like the hook andeye on our garden gate.

binoculars – a device that makes distant objects look largerand closer

Viewing the bird through the binoculars let us identify it asa yellow warbler.

biologist – a person who studies living and once-living things

The biologist showed our class the differences betweenbirds and mammals.

birding – to watch birds

We went birding with a biologist and learned six new birdcalls.

booming – to make a deep, hollow sound to attract mates

Each spring prairie-chicken males attract females bybooming and dancing.

boycott – people that join together to protest a person orbusiness

I joined the boycott of products from the business that wasdumping chemicals in the river.

brood – collectively, all the offspring from one nesting of a bird

The hen wood duck led her brood to the stream.

calcium carbonate – a white compound (CaCO3) found inbones, teeth and shells

The shells and bones of birds contain calcium carbonate.

call – a vocalization that is not a song; made during courtship,feeding, migration or as a warning

The call of the northern bobwhite parents warns theiryoung of approaching danger.

camouflage – protective coloring that helps hide an animal

The hen ring-necked pheasant’s brown color helps tocamouflage her while sitting on the nest.

cavity – hollow place or hole

The red-headed woodpeckers are nesting in a cavity inthe elm tree.

characteristic – a quality or feature that makes somethingdifferent from others

One characteristic used to identify the meadowlark is theblack "v" on its breast.

classification – to arrange things in groups or classes

The classification of birds is based in part on their feedinghabits and types of beaks.

clutch – a nest of eggs or brood of chicks

The nest in the evergreen tree contained a clutch of songsparrow eggs.

common – ordinary or average

The northern cardinal and blue jay are birds common toboth the city and country.

communicate – to exchange information

Birds communicate through songs, calls and body posture.

competition (compete) – the act of trying to win or gainsomething from another or others

The competition between woodpeckers for the suet wasintense.

contour feather – a feather having a strong, hollow shaft and anetwork of hooks

Contour feathers hide the fluffy, soft, down feathers that lieclose to the bird's body.


Glossary —continued

courtship – a behavior pattern that leads to matingCourtship behavior for birds includes singing, strutting,booming and posturing.

cover – the vegetation and debris that provide areas for animalsto hide, sleep, feed and breed

The brushy fence row provides excellent cover for songbirds.

covey – a small flock or group, often a familyOn our walk through the field, we disturbed a covey ofnorthern bobwhite that scattered noisily in every direction.

crop – the organ at the bottom of the esophagus where food isstored for later digestion

While sitting under the bird feeder, the dove filled its cropwith millet seed.

dehydrating – the process of drying outThe eggshell prevents the embryo from dehydrating.

dimorphism – having two distinct forms; males and females ofthe same species having different appearances

Dimorphism occurs in the northern cardinal: the male hasred feathers while the female’s feathers are brown.

diurnal – active during the dayThe American robins, northern cardinals and blue jays wesaw on our picnic at the park are diurnal birds.

down feather – soft feather next to the body that provides insu-lation; the covering of young birds

The newly hatched owlets look soft because they are cov-ered with down feathers.

drumming – to make a loud, reverberating sound by quiveringthe wings

Each spring, male ruffed grouse attract females bydrumming.

ecological balance – an environment that is healthy and fullyfunctional

Removing the food supply from a habitat upsets theecological balance.

egg tooth – a small, sharp tip on the upper bill used duringhatching to chip out of the shell

I held a newly hatched chicken and felt its egg tooth.

endangered – a species which is in danger of extinctionThe greater prairie-chicken is an endangered speciesin Illinois.

embryo – a bird developing inside an eggThe embryo is protected by the egg’s shell.

energy expense – the amount of energy used in performinga task

The energy expense of a bird feeding young is greaterthan for one without young.

environment – the surrounding area in which an organism livesOur zoo tries to make each animal's cage like its naturalenvironment.

ethical – having to do with ethics or moralsEthical sportsmen harvest only their legal limit of birds.

extinct (extinction) – a species that is no longer existing Passenger pigeons became extinct when the last one diedin 1914.

feeding station – structures filled with bird seed and placedoutdoors

During breakfast we watch birds at the feeding station out-side our dining room window.

field – a piece of open or cleared landThe weeds growing in the field provide food for many birds.

field guide – a book used to identify organisms or other objects.For our picnics we always pack a bird field guide so wecan identify the birds we see.

flight feather – a type of contour feather on the wing usedduring flight

For a few weeks each summer geese molt their flightfeathers and are unable to fly.

flyway – a migratory route followed by birds to and frombreeding areas

The Mississippi River serves as a flyway for many birds.

forb – a broad-leaved flowering plant that grows in a field orprairie

Prairies contain grasses as well as a variety of forbs, suchas Indian paintbrush.

forest – an area covered with trees and other plants that form aclosed canopy

The forest floor is a favorite feeding area for thrushes.

fragmentation – creating smaller areas of habitat from a largecontinuous habitat tract, such as removing a block of treesfrom a forested area

The road built through the forest resulted in fragmentationof the habitat.

game bird – a bird hunted for food and sportMy Dad’s favorite game bird to hunt is the wild turkey.



habitat – the natural environment providing food, water, shelterand space for animals

The habitat for a Canada goose is a wetland.

hover – to stay in the air, flying in one place

The American kestrel hovers above the grassy roadsidewaiting to catch a mouse.

imitate – to copy the behavior of another animal

European starlings imitate many other birds’ songs.

incubate (incubation) – to sit on eggs, keeping them warmuntil they hatch

The female American robin sat on her nest for two weeksto incubate the eggs.

instinct – a way of acting that an animal is born with

The urge to fly south for the winter is an instinct.

intrinsic – inherent qualities

The right to exist is an intrinsic value.

key – a chart showing grouping characteristics used to identifydifferent classifications of organisms

The bird key helped us to decide that the bird at our feederwas a song sparrow.

mandible – the lower half of a bird’s bill

Seed-eating birds, such as the northern cardinal, have astrong mandible.

mate (mating) – the process of male and female comingtogether to join egg and sperm cells; one of a pair ofanimals brought together for breeding

Mating takes place to produce offspring.

mating ritual – a practice conducted at regular intervals

Booming and drumming rituals occur during the matingseason.

mating season – the time of year when mating occurs

The mating season for most birds is spring and earlysummer.

metabolism (metabolic rate) – chemical changes that providethe energy required for life; amount of food consumed, heatproduced or oxygen used; speed at which the changesoccur is the metabolic rate

Birds eat a lot of food because of their high metabolic rate.

migrate (migration, migrating, migrants, migratory,migratory species) – to move from one place to another

Warblers migrate from Central and South America eachspring to nest in North America.

molt (molting) – to shed worn feathers and replace withnew ones

Geese are unable to fly for a short period each summerwhen they molt their flight feathers.

monogamous – having only one mate

Bald eagles are monogamous.

naturalist – a person who knows a great deal about plantsand animals

The park naturalist led our field trip and named plantsand animals seen along the trail.

nectar – the sweet liquid produced by flowers

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are nectar-feeding birds.

Neotropical migrant – bird that spends the winter months inCentral and South America and summers in North America

Scarlet tanagers are Neotropical migrants, spending partof the year in North America and the rest of the year inSouth America.

nocturnal – active at night

Owls are nocturnal birds because they hunt for food whenit is dark.

ornithologist – a biologist specializing in the study of birds

The ornithologist showed the children the marks made bythe woodpecker.

parasite (parasitize) – an animal that lives at the expense ofanother animal

The brown-headed cowbird is a nest parasite that relies onother birds to raise its young.

passerine – songbirds or perching birds

Warblers, blackbirds, finches, sparrows and vireos aretypes of passerines.

pesticide – any chemical used to control insects or weeds

Our neighbor applies pesticides to his yard and gardento control insect pests.

phenology – the study of natural phenomena that recurperiodically, such as migration

Comparing daily records of birds at our feeding station formany years is called phenology.



pipping – to break through the shell

Twenty-eight days after the eggs were laid the chicksbegan pipping.

population – the number of organisms of one species living ina specific place at a specific time

Biologists estimated the population of mallards on the laketo be 125.

prairie – a type of habitat characterized by native grassesand forbs

Prairies once covered most of Illinois.

precocial – newly hatched birds that are covered in down andable to walk away from the nest with their parents as soonas they have dried off

Ring-necked pheasants and northern bobwhite haveprecocial young.

predator (predation) – an animal that feeds on other animals

Hawks and owls are predators.

preening – to clean, straighten and fluff feathers

The house sparrows sat in the road dusting and preeningthemselves.

prehensile – adapted to grasp or seize; flexible

The American woodcock's prehensile bill allows it to probethe ground and, when it finds an earthworm, open only thetip to grasp the worm and pull it out.

prey – an animal that is hunted by another animal for food

Insects, crayfish and songbirds are prey for the screech owl.

primitive – an organism that has evolved little from earlyancestral types

Hawks and owls are more primitive birds than warblers.

rally – to bring or come together

When scattered, northern bobwhite whistle their rally call tolocate and rejoin members of their covey.

range – the land on which an animal lives

The home range of birds contains the food, cover, shelterand water required for living.

rare – something not seen or found often

The black rail is rare in Illinois because much of its nestinghabitat in wetlands has been destroyed.

scientific – having to do with or used in science

The scientific name for the barn owl is Tyto alba.

scientist – a person who knows a great deal about a branch ofscience

An ornithologist is a scientist who specializes in the studyof birds.

scold – sharp vocalizations

Blue jays scold squirrels that get too close to their nest.

shaft – the hard center "tube" of a feather

The shaft of a feather pen holds the ink.

shelter – cover from the weather for purposes such as nesting,breeding and travel

Our apple tree provided shelter for the nesting mourningdove.

soar – to fly high in the air and barely flap wings

Bald eagles soar up and down the river in search of fishes.

song – the notes repeated by a bird in a regular pattern, usedto defend territory and attract mates

Hearing the songs of birds is one of the first signs of spring.

space – a certain-sized area an animal needs to live

Larger animals require more space than smaller ones.

species – groups of animals with shared characteristics thatcan reproduce and produce fertile offspring

Red-headed and red-bellied woodpeckers are two differentspecies of woodpeckers.

strut – to walk in a stiff manner

The strut of a male turkey is part of the mating ritual.

suburban – having to do with a suburb; an area with homesand stores between a city and the country

Landscaped suburban yards attract many birds.

suet – animal fats

Woodpeckers are attracted to suet hung in bags fromtrees.

syrinx – the vocal organ of birds

Air passing over the syrinx produces songs and calls.

territory – a defended area used for nesting or feeding

The northern mockingbird flew at the cat that entered itsterritory.

thermal – a rising mass of warm air

The hawk flew in a spiral on the thermals.



thermoregulation – keeping the temperature of a living bodyat a constant level

Cormorants hold their wings out for thermoregulationand to dry their feathers.

threatened – any species likely to become endangered in theforeseeable future

On our trip to the nature preserve we saw a threatenedbird, the black-billed cuckoo.

toxin – a poison

Oils and acids are toxins to eggs and will cause adeveloping chick to die.

urban – having to do with a city

Peregrine falcons, rock pigeons, European starlings andhouse sparrows have adapted to an urban life.

urban sprawl – the spread of development in a way that isextensive and not efficiently planned

The urban sprawl of new homes and businesses into thecountryside destroys natural habitats.

vane – the flat, weblike part of a feather emerging from theshaft; there are two vanes per feather

The vane of one flight feather overlaps the vane of thenext feather.

volunteer – a person who offers to help or does something ofhis or her own free will and without pay

The statewide spring bird count is conducted by volunteers.

warm-blooded – maintaining a constant internal body temper-ature regardless of external conditions

Birds and mammals are warm-blooded animals whilesnakes are cold-blooded.

wetland – land that holds water for at least a portion of theyear, has hydric soils and has water-loving plants

Wetland types range from cattail marshes and cypressswamps to the Mississippi River.

wildlife sanctuary – a place of refuge for animals

The area where bald eagles roost was dedicated as awildlife sanctuary.

wind resistance – drag produced by the shape of a bird’s body

Canada geese fly in a “v” to reduce the wind resistanceon any one bird.

wing span – the distance between the tips of a bird’s wingswhen extended

One of the largest birds in Illinois is the bald eagle, with awing span of seven and one-half feet.

yolk – the food source in an egg for the developing bird

As a developing bird grows, the yolk shrinks.

ACTIVITYPAGE

One BirdShort of a Flock

The Strange Mystery of the Mutating Habitat


This one-act play will present information about threatened and endangered species and may be performed with asmall cast and simple habitat backdrops. Assemble a crew of students to research backdrop visuals for the habitat

settings used in the play: prairie; urban; fence row with thorny trees; and wetland. Thebackdrops may be painted on over-sized paper and might incorporate cardboardcutouts or other extras. The four species illustrations included should be colored,glued to pieces of poster board, cut out, and then attached to wooden paint stirrers orother supports for use as "puppets" as the play unfolds. The props suggestedthroughout the play may be gathered by a crew of students, or the use of the itemscould be pantomimed by the cast. For younger children, or to provide roles for theentire class, the following division of labor is recommended: three students designeach habitat setting; four students play birds; three to four students split the roles of

Sara, Juan and the Narrator.

The stage is set to reveal a desk or table and two chairs at the front right of the stage. Front and center are two morechairs, placed side to side and facing forward. The four habitat backdrop scenes should be placed in different loca-tions around the stage area or throughout the classroom. The play opens with Sara sitting at the desk or table, look-ing over the pages of a report in a file folder with a large red question mark on it. The Narrator stands stage left andintroduces the scene.

NARRATOR:Welcome to the district offices of those ace investigators, the Conservation Private Eyes. Their naturalcuriosity makes them forever on the lookout for weird happenings in the world around them. Let's listen in asanother mystery begins to unfold...

SARA (shaking her head and speaking to herself): This is positively frightening! Some of our finest feathered friendsare threatened and endangered—right here in our very own state. I think we'd better get to the bottom of this prob-lem with a little Conservation Private Eye research. (Sara pushes a button on the phone and calls to her associate.)Juan, could you come in here pronto, please. We've got a case to investigate!

NARRATOR: Sara has just discovered that of the 9,900 species of birds in the world, more than 1,240 species listedare endangered, threatened or vulnerable. As of 2010, the state of Illinois has 25 endangered bird species and fivebird species that are considered threatened. Sara is very concerned.

(Juan enters and sits down at the desk.)

JUAN:What's the word, partner? I just heard that you're very concerned about something.

SARA: The word is "endangered" and that's what has me concerned. There are threatened and endangered birdsright here in our home state. We've got to find out why!

Characters: Sara, a student and Conservation Private EyeJuan, a student and Conservation Private EyeNarrator

Birds: a greater prairie-chicken - endangereda peregrine falcon - threateneda loggerhead shrike - endangereda black tern - endangered


JUAN: Birds in danger? Someone is making threats against birds? You'd think people would pick on something theirown size. Why would anyone threaten to beat up a bird?

SARA (patiently): No one is beating up birds. "Threatened" means that a bird species has the potential to becomeendangered, and "endangered" means there's a potential for extinction. Extinction means that a species would begone from the earth forever!

JUAN: That's right! I remember reading the file on the passenger pigeon. There were once millions of them, but thelast one died in North America in 1914. What's causing the problem today? Which birds are in trouble?

SARA:Well, this file from Headquarters specifically mentions—among others—the greater prairie-chicken, peregrinefalcon, loggerhead shrike and black tern. It seems that the areas where these birds live are changing. Something ishappening to their homes!

NARRATOR: Sara and Juan's mission, should they decide to accept it, is to find out what is happening to the birds'homes.

JUAN: Yikes! Holy mutating habitat! I think we should go see for ourselves!

SARA: You're right, let's get our equipment and get going. I'll bring the project file. (Sara and Juan gather their binoculars, camera and notebooks and walk center stage to the two chairs.)

JUAN: Binoculars, camera, notebooks, pencils and pens. Check. Check. Check. Check and check. We're ready.(looking around)Where's the car?

SARA: This (pointing to the two chairs) is our car. Get in. I'll drive. (Sara sits down and appears to be starting the car,placing her hands on the "wheel.")

JUAN: Get in what? (sitting down) Looks like a couple of chairs to me. (Sara begins to "drive" as Juan looks around in confusion.)

NARRATOR: And so the well-meaning investigators begin their journey—by car—(said loudly and in Juan's direc-tion) to their first destination.

(Sara takes her hands from the "wheel" and begins to look through the project file.)

JUAN (looking over): Hey! Watch where you're going! Keep your hands on the wheel!

SARA (shaking her head):We've stopped. I think we're there. (Sara stands up and steps out of the car, looking firstat her file and then around her.)

JUAN (standing up):We're there? How fast did you drive? And where's "there?"

SARA (almost to herself): According to these maps from Headquarters, this is clue #1. All of this land around us wasonce a prairie.

JUAN: Looks like farm land now to me. I think it was those cows by the barn over there (pointing) that clued me in.

SARA (thoughtfully, not really looking): Yes. I see. (to Juan) We're very close to a specially managed prairie wildlifesanctuary. Let's take a look.

(Sara and Juan walk toward the prairie habitat backdrop and hear a low "booming" sound. The prairie-chicken puppetappears from behind the backdrop.)


SARA: Look over there! (Sara and Juan crouch down. Sara uses the binoculars as Juan takes a few pictures.)

JUAN: A prairie-chicken! I got a couple of great shots for the file.

SARA: Excellent! We're lucky to see one. The file says there are about 200 left in Illinois.

JUAN (standing up): All of the land around for miles was once prairie.....

SARA (standing up): I hope we can help to preserve the prairies that we have left. (A "booming" sound again comesfrom behind the backdrop as the prairie-chicken puppet reappears.)

JUAN: That sounds like a booming agreement.

(Sara and Juan begin to walk back to their "car," Sara is looking over the project file as she walks. They stop at thecar just as the Narrator finishes speaking.)

NARRATOR: Sara and Juan would later learn that unregulated hunting, increased predation and other factors alsocontributed to the prairie-chicken's decline. (dramatically) The mystery was deeper than even they dared realize!

JUAN (pointing to the Narrator):Whoa! I think that guy was hanging out back at the office talking to himself, and Ithink he just said something about prairie-chickens! I get the feeling other factors might also have contributed to theprairie-chicken's decline. Maybe he knows something. Should we go talk to him?

SARA (losing patience): Get a clue. Characters in a play generally don’t talk to the Narrator. Let's go. (Sara sits downin the "car" and prepares to drive.)

JUAN (sitting down): A play?! Well, that explains the car. (to himself) Should have just told me in the first place.Would have saved a lot of confusion. I wonder if my name is really Juan...

NARRATOR: And so Sara and....whatever-his-name is....(Juan turns around to look at the Narrator, apparentlyalarmed)....Sara and Juan continue on their trip. They soon turn onto a country lane and begin to drive past fencerows surrounded by thorny shrubs and trees. They stop and observe the location of clue #2.

JUAN: Fence rows surrounded by thorny shrubs and trees! Didn't I read something about that habitat in the file?

SARA: You're right! It's the habitat of the loggerhead shrike. There's one over there! (Points to the fence row habitatbackdrop where the loggerhead shrike puppet appears.)

JUAN (looking through binoculars): I can see the thorns on the branches. These binoculars make them seem soclose they almost don't look real...Oh, now I see him. Wow! He's chowing down on a huge grasshopper he just stuckonto a big thorn. Tasty! Bug-on-a-stick!

SARA (looking up): There's another shrike perched alone on that telephone wire. (Picks up the camera and photo-graphs the loggerhead shrike.) We'll file that photo under "endangered." We'd better hurry, we've got a couple ofmore stops to make.

JUAN: Before we go, I've been meaning to ask...Do people in plays ever eat? (Sara begins to “drive.”)

NARRATOR: Without time to even pause for food...

JUAN (sarcastically): Oh great!

NARRATOR: ....Our ace investigators continue on their way to the next habitat setting and clue #3. The land beginsto change as minutes give way to hours and the Conservation Private Eyes finally arrive at another destination.


SARA (stops "driving" and looks at the file):We should be near one of the low-lying, water-filled areas that the blacktern calls home.

JUAN: This land looks a little wet. (pointing to the wetland backdrop) A wetland!

SARA: That's right. That's where we might be able to spot a black tern. (Sara and Juan get out of the car and beginto look around, walking toward the wetland habitat.)

SARA (stopping to look up into the "sky" with the binoculars): I don't see one anywhere. (addressing the audience)Excuse me, has anyone out there seen a black tern around anywhere?

JUAN (loudly): I can't talk to the Narrator, but you can talk to the audience?!?!?

SARA: There he is. Shhh! You'll scare him away. (The black tern puppet appears from behind the wetland backdrop.)

JUAN (aiming the camera at the black tern): Got him! I guess this black tern was lucky to even find a wetland habitatto nest in. The report said wetlands have been drained and converted to agricultural and industrial uses for years.

SARA: Right again. None of these different habitat areas just disappear over night. It's been happening for genera-tions. But our generation can work to make sure we conserve the natural resources we have left!

JUAN: Can we undo what's been done?

SARA:We can try. Let's go to the city. We can report in at Headquarters, and I'll show you what I mean.

(Sara and Juan walk back and get into the car. Sara begins to drive.)

NARRATOR: And so the Conservation Private Eyes hit the road one last time--looking for clue #4. They head north-east and soon arrive in our state's largest city.

JUAN (singing): Chicago! Chicago!

SARA: We'll park here and walk around a bit. It's hard to look up when you're driving.

(Sara and Juan get out of the car and walk toward the urban habitat backdrop.)

JUAN: You'd think all of the birds in a city this big would be endangered! Isn't pollution a problem? And there aregiant glass buildings all over the place! Talk about flight hazards!

SARA:Well, those things are sometimes a problem for birds that live in urban areas, but one species that was introuble has managed to adapt to life in the big city. Let me know if you see a bird you think is....

JUAN (Points at the peregrine falcon puppet which appears from behind the backdrop. The bird appears to swoopand dive.): Look! A peregrine falcon!

SARA: Yes! (Looking at the file.) The peregrine falcon was once very close to extinction. Much of its natural food sup-ply was contaminated by the pesticide DDT, but human action and protection helped the species survive. Now somelive in cities and roost on the ledges of buildings!

JUAN: I guess they just adore a penthouse view.

SARA: And I guess the mystery of the mutating habitat isn't such a mystery after all. Our four clues add up to thefact that people are responsible for the loss and destruction of these habitats, and only people can help preserve andprotect what we have left. You know, we really were very lucky to have seen all of these kinds of birds.


JUAN: The greater prairie-chicken, loggerhead shrike, black tern and peregrine falcon. I'm sure all of them–and all ofthe other threatened and endangered species–would work to preserve their habitats if they could, but since they'resort of busy surviving, it's up to you and me.

SARA: It's up to everyone.

NARRATOR (Sara, Juan and the four puppeteers join the Narrator at center stage.): There are many things everyone cando to help. Provide food and shelter or habitat for birds in your neighborhood. Help inform your friends and family aboutthe environment and the birds of your community, state and the world. Study different organizations working to preservehabitats and birds or working to clean up the environment. Make it your mission to get informed and get involved.

Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board. 2010. Checklist of endangered and threatened animals and plants ofIllinois. http://dnr.state.il.us/ESPB/2010%20Checklist%20FINAL%20for%20webpage%20082010.pdf Illinois Department ofNatural Resources, Springfield, Illinois.


One Bird Short of a Flock

loggerhead shrike


One Bird Short of a Flock



One Bird Short of a Flockblack tern


One Bird Short of a Flockperegrine falcon

ACTIVITYPAGE 3-D Eagle and Prey


Activity Instructions

n Print the 30 illustrated panels that follow this page.There are 15 panels for side A, and 15 panels for sideB. The A side panels are numbered and placed asshown in the table at the right of this page. The B sidepanels are numbered to match their mirror image. Forexample, panel 1-1-A matches with panel 1-1-B; panel1-2-A matches with panel 1-2-B, etc.

n Color the eagle and prey items. The eagle shouldhave a white tail and head, yellow beak and brown-black body feathers. Coloration for the prey speciesis shown on each panel. You may want to have eachstudent color a single panel, then tape the panelsfor each side together in the pattern shown in thebox at right. You could also tape the panels togetherfirst and then color them. Remember that since theB side is a mirror image, you will need to arrangethe rows in the opposite order than that shown inthe box if you tape all of them together at once.

n Cut out both sides of the assembled eagle and all ofthe prey animals and match side A to side B.

n Staple securely around the edges of the matchedsides, leaving one or more openings.

n Finally, stuff the animals with cotton balls, shredded newspaper, packing chips or pillow stuffing for a 3-D look.Staple the stuffing opening closed.

n After the eagle and its prey have been assembled, hang them with string or fishing line from the ceiling of yourclassroom.

Extensionsn Research the nesting habitats of bald eagles. Collect sticks and make a life-sized nest of a bald eagle. Hang the3-D eagle created by the students over the nest. Create life-sized eggs to place in the nest using balloons andpapier mâché.

n Research how and when the bald eagle was named the national symbol. Ask students to name the other highlyregarded bird which was in the running for this designation.

n A number of animals that the bald eagle eats are represented on the panels. Research the food habits of eaglesand prepare a pie chart showing the percentages of food consumed.

SHADColor the head yellow and thefins gray. The body is darkgreen on top, and its belly islight gray.

1-3-B

PERCHColor the body yellow-gold with theupper fins gold to green. Seven verticalblack bars cross the lower body. Thelower body is off-white with other finsred-gray. Eyes are golden.1-1-A

PERCHColor the body yellow-gold withthe upper fins gold to green.Seven vertical black bars crossthe lower body. The lower body isoff-white with other fins red-gray.Eyes are golden. 1-1-B


1-3-A

COTTONTAILColor the body medium brown andthe nose dark. Make white highlightsaround the end of the nose, as wellas under the chin and on the belly.Feet are dark brown.

2-1-A


2-4-B

GRAY SQUIRRELColor the body, head and tailbrown-gray and the belly lightgray. Add a slight rust coloraround the head, back and feet.

2-2-A

GRAY SQUIRRELColor the body, head and tailbrown-gray and the belly lightgray. Add a slight rust coloraround the head, back and feet.

2-2-B


2-4-A

COTTONTAILColor the body medium brown andthe nose dark. Make white highlightsaround the end of the nose, as wellas under the chin and on the belly.Feet are dark brown.

2-1-B


3-4-B

ADULT BALD EAGLEColor the body dark brown. Thehead and tail are white. Thetalons and eyes are yellow.

3-2-A

ADULT BALD EAGLEColor the body dark brown. Thehead and tail are white. The talonsand eyes are yellow.

3-2-B


3-4-A

PERCHColor the body yellow-gold withthe upper fins gold to green.Seven vertical black bars crossthe lower body. The lower body isoff-white with other fins red-gray.Eyes are golden.

4-1-A

SMOOTH GREEN SNAKEColor the upper body bright green. Thelower body is green-yellow.

MOUSEColor the body dark brown. Make thenose and belly lighter brown. Tail isvery dark, almost black.

4-4-B

SMOOTH GREEN SNAKEColor the upper body bright green. Thelower body is green-yellow.

MOUSEColor the body dark brown. Make thenose and belly lighter brown. Tail isvery dark, almost black.

4-4-A

PERCHColor the body yellow-gold withthe upper fins gold to green.Seven vertical black bars crossthe lower body. The lower body isoff-white with other fins red-gray.Eyes are golden.

4-1-B

ACTIVITYPAGE Migration Mural


Activity Instructions

n Each student should receive one page of the 25-panel mural to be colored and later assembled with other studentpages. Distribute at least 10 duplicates of the bird cards page. The bird cards pages will serve as game cards.

n Color all of the pages. Students with a question on their page should research the answer and fill in the blank.

n Following instructions on finding map coordinates, students should place the mural panels, including one birdcards page, together in the proper sequence and tape the pages together carefully on the back. Display the mural.

n Have students cut apart the remaining bird cards and place a loop of tape on the back of each. The instructorshould then pass the bird cards out among all students. Some students may have more than one card.

n Identify for students the nesting (northern extreme) and winter (southern extreme) homes of each bird (see mapbelow).

n Using the information gained in “Moving Day” (Unit 3, Lesson 1) on reasons for migration, students take turnsplacing bird cards for the four species on the map mural to indicate possible migration routes from each species’nesting site to its winter home.

n After developing the initial migration route, students may then remove the bird cards, mix them up and playagain, creating additional routes with different conclusions. Remind students that because of food availability,birds travel many miles seemingly out of their way. To conclude the activity, the teacher should discuss, using thispage, the major migration routes used. The “Migration Mural” may be left up throughout the year to track actualseasonal location of these species.

ruby-throatedhummingbird

Kirtland’s warbler

Canada goose

whooping crane

blackbird

Education SectionOne Natural Resources Way

Springfield, IL 62702

[email protected]://www.dnr.illinois.gov

http://www.dnr.illinois.gov

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