May 9th is Global Bird Day, an annual celebration of the birds around you! Today, Team GCM member, Ashley, tells you all about birds, birdwatching, and shares how you can make your very own binoculars for birdwatching! Then enjoy a special storytime of Feathers for Lunch with Team GCM member, Pam!
So, what is a bird? What do they look like? Did you know that all birds:
- Have feathers! Have you found any bird feathers in your yard before?
- Have wings, but they may not fly! Can you name any birds that can’t fly?
- Have beaks! Beaks come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors.
- Hatch from an egg! Have you ever had a bird’s nest in your yard before?
Now that you know how to identify a bird, you’re ready to look outside your window or go outside to go birdwatching! Did you know that there are scientists who study birds? A scientist is someone who conducts scientific research to advance knowledge of a particular subject, like birds. Scientists who study birds are called, ornithologists. These scientists study bird songs, flight patterns, and what they look like.
You can be an ornithologist by making observations. We can make observations by using our eyes and our ears. We can look closely at birds. Where might we find a bird? In the sky! Or maybe in a tree. We can also make observations by listening carefully. What sounds do birds make? Tweet-tweet, quack- quack, maybe a little whistle. Scientists use special tools when making their observations, like binoculars! Binoculars help scientists focus on what they’re looking at and help them see items far away with special lenses.
We can make our own binoculars to help us focus on the birds we see using toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls, paper, and either glue or tape.
Directions:
1. The first step is to cut our paper to fit around the paper towel or toilet paper rolls. You can put
the roll directly on the paper and draw a line to measure its length.
2. After cutting your paper, decorate it! Draw spirals, birds, flowers, or anything you like!
3. Add glue to the back of your paper.
4. Place your toilet paper roll at the edge of the paper and roll the paper around it. You can add
tape to the seam to secure it in place.
5. Repeat for your second toilet paper roll.
6. It’s time to put the two rolls together! You can glue them together or use a piece of tape about 1 to 2 inches long that you loop together to make a circle so that it’s sticky on both sides. Place your tape or glue on one paper towel or toilet paper roll then stick the other roll to it.
You made binoculars! Now it’s time to try them out and look for birds! Be sure to record your observations by writing down or drawing what you see. Happy birdwatching!
Team GCM Creators: Ashley & Pam