Bird Song Survey

Inventorying wildlife populations is a technique that is used by wildlife professionals to gather information about the number and kinds of wildlife in a given area. People who are interested in wildlife can assist conservation professionals by helping to inventory wildlife populations. Use Project WILD’s “Bird Song Survey” to inventory a local bird population. Use this activity in conjunction with the annual Great Backyard Bird Count February 18-21 and make your survey really count! Visit the GBBC website at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/ for more information.

Young Child Extension
Young children can participate in the GBBC too! Plan a hike around the school yard to inventory the local bird population. Setting up a bird feeder close to your classroom windows would be a wonderful opportunity to observe and inventory birds. As a class you could create your own bird feeders and set up a bird feeding station that the students can enjoy every day!

Book List

Grades PreK-2
Arnosky, J. 1997. Bird Watcher. Random House Children's Books.
Arnosky, J. 1993. Crinkleroot's 25 Birds Every Child Should Know. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Arnosky, J. 1992. Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing the Birds. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Bailey, D. 1992. Birds: How to Watch and Understand the Fascinating World of Birds. DK Publishing, Inc.
Boring, M. 1998. Bird, Nests, and Eggs. T&N Children's Publishing.
Bushnell, J. 1996. Sky Dancer. HarperCollins Publishers.
Collard, S.B. 2002. Beaks! Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
Garelick, M. 1995. What Makes a Bird a Bird? Mondo Publishing.
Herkert, B. 2001. Birds in Your Backyard. Dawn Publications.
Latimer, J. et al. 1999. Backyard Birds (Peterson Field Guides for Young Naturalists). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Oppenheim, J.F. and B. Reid. 1987. Have You Seen Birds?. Scholastic, Inc.
Pascoe, E., et al. 2000. How and Why Birds Use Their Bills (How and Why Series). Creative Teching Press, Inc.
Rabe, T. and A. Ruiz. 1998. Fine Feathered Friends: All About Birds (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library). Random House Children's Books.
Rockwell, A.F. 1992. Our Yard Is Full of Birds. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Sill, C.P. 1997. About Birds: A Guide for Children. Peachtree Publishers.
Weidensaul, S. and T. Taylor. 1998. Birds (Audubon Society First Field Guide Series). Scholastic, Inc.
Yolen, J. 1999. Bird Watch: A Book of Poetry. Putnam Juvenile.
Zim, H.S. 1989. Birds. St. Martin's Press.

Grades 3-5
Arnold, C. 2003. Birds: Nature's Magnificent Flying Machines. Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
Arnosky, J. 1997. Bird Watcher. Random House Children's Books.
Arnosky, J. 1993. Crinkleroot's 25 Birds Every Child Should Know. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Arnosky, J. 1992. Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing the Birds. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Bailey, D. 1992. Birds: How to Watch and Understand the Fascinating World of Birds. DK Publishing, Inc.
Bateman, R. 2005. Bateman's Guide to Backyard Birds. Barron's Educational Series, Incorporated.
Boring, M. 1998. Bird, Nests, and Eggs. T&N Children's Publishing.
Burnie, D. 2005. Birdwatcher. DK Publishing, Inc.
Cortright, S. 1995. Birding Basics. Sterling Publishing Company, Incorporated.
Davies, J. 2004. The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Dawe, N. 1988. Bird Book and the Bird Feeder. Workman Publishing Company, Inc.
Fitcher, G.S. 1982. Birds of North America. Random House, Incorporated.
Herkert, B. 2001. Birds in Your Backyard. Dawn Publications.
Hume, R. 1993. Birdwatching. Random House, Incorporated.
Kirkland, J. 2002. Take a Backyard Bird Walk. Stillwater Publishing.
Kress, S.W. 2001. Bird Life. Golden Guides from St. Martin's Press.
Latimer, J. et al. 1999. Backyard Birds (Peterson Field Guides for Young Naturalists). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Lerner, C. 1994. Backyard Birds of Winter. HarperCollins Publishers.
Lindsey, T. 1999. Birding. Time-Life Custom Publishing.
Loates, G. and B. Kalman. 1988. Birds at My Feeder. Crabtree Publishing Company.
Mania, C. 2000. Woodpecker in the Backyard. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Maslowski, S. 2001. Birds in Winter. Smart Apple Media.
Peterson, R.T. 1999. Backyard Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Pine, J. 1993. Backyard Birds. HarperCollins Children's Books.
Rabe, T. and A. Ruiz. 1998. Fine Feathered Friends: All About Birds (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library). Random House Children's Books.
Rockwell, A.F. 1992. Our Yard Is Full of Birds. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Sill, C.P. 1997. About Birds: A Guide for Children. Peachtree Publishers.
Weidensaul, S. and T. Taylor. 1998. Birds (Audubon Society First Field Guide Series). Scholastic, Inc.
Yolen, J. 1999. Bird Watch: A Book of Poetry. Putnam Juvenile.
Zim, H.S. 1989. Birds. St. Martin's Press.

Grades 6-8
Burgess, T.W. 2003. Burgess Bird Book for Children. Dover Publications.
Burnie, D. 2004. Bird. DK Publishing, Inc.
Ganeri, A. 1993. Birds. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Latimer, J. et al. 1999. Backyard Birds (Peterson Field Guides for Young Naturalists). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Lee, F. 2005. Backyard Birding for Kids: A Field Guide and Activities. Gibbs Smith.
Robbins, C.S. 2001. Birds of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. Golden Guides from St. Martin's Press.
Spaulding, D.T. 1997. Watching Our Feathered Friends. Lerner Publishing Group.
Ward, A. 2004. Pocket Factfiles: Birds. Sterling Publishing Company, Incorporated.
Weidensaul, S. and T. Taylor. 1998. Birds (Audubon Society First Field Guide Series). Scholastic, Inc.

Grades 9-12
Dobson, C. 1981. Feeding Wild Birds in Winter. Firefly Books.
Gardner, D. and N. Overcott. 2003. Birds at Your Feeder: A Guide to Winter Birds of the Great Plains. University of Iowa Press.
Johnson, A. 2005. Iowa Birds. Lone Pine Publishing.
Johnson, J. 2003. 1000 Facts on Birds. Barnes & Noble Books.
Kavanagh, J. 2001. Iowa Birds. Waterford Press Ltd.
Peterson, R. T. and L. A. Peterson. 2010. Peterson Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Roth, S. 2000. Backyard Bird Feeder's Bible. Rodale Press, Incorporated.
Sibley, D. A. 2000. National Aububon Society: The Sibley Guide to Birds. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
Stokes, D. and L. Stokes. 2010. The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Little, Brown & Company.
Tekiela, S. 2001. Birds of Iowa: Field Guide. Adventure Publications.