Nest/Breeding Strategies
Questions to answer…
Are all nests created equal, and do all birds need them?
Monogamy vs. Polygamy?
What are a few of the common nesting/breeding strategies for a few of the common birds in this area?
Activities…
-Build your own nest; each member of the group should create a different type of nest with natural materials
-During “birding hours”, look for possible nests or breeding behaviors in the area. Record and graph your results. *Here the idea is to record activity (feeding, roosting/displaying, singing, fighting, or nest making). Create a pie chart of how the birds spend their time, also include a territory map.
-Present your findings in a fun/informative 15 minute presentation. Include a few of these vocabulary words (precocial, altricial, monogamy, polygamy, parasitism, polygyny, polyandry, and promiscuity).
>Teacher notes...
Encourage the students to be creative with their research. They can create their own study plots and hypothesis, but try and keep it focused on Nesting/Breeding Strategies.You might have to lend a helping hand with a usable data table to help with time constraints and efficiency. Also, identify possible types of behaviors/attitudes.